Sorting to Hogwarts
by teddylonglong
Summary: After separating from Hagrid, Harry does not want to return to the Dursleys and wishes himself to Hogwarts for his Sorting. However, something is strange about Hogwarts, and his actions have far reaching consequences, not only for him. Completely AU! Time travel!
1. Chapter 1

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_All recognizable characters from Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
><em>_Ceridwen is my own character from several of my stories under both accounts.  
><em>_I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.__  
><em>

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><p><strong>A.N.: Since one of my readers asked me if I was dead, I realised that it was time to post a story under this account again.<strong>

**In the meantime, I have been posting many stories under Healer Pomfrey, and I have published my own book 'The Moon Whisperer' (available at Amzon).**

**This story builds on the idea of my Healer Pomfrey story 'The Wrong Sorting'.**

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><p>Harry stared at the spot, where Hagrid had been standing until an instant ago. <em>'I don't want to return to the Dursleys'. I'd rather go right to Hogwarts, but I should only arrive on the first of September and not earlier. Otherwise, the headmaster will just take me back to the Dursleys' place,'<em> he mused, as he looked for a bench to sit down and ponder his situation. _'With magic it should be possible to arrive at the right time and place,'_ he thought. However, since he had only known that he was a wizard for about twelve hours and just only had received his wand a short time ago, he was certain that he totally lacked the experience for such a stunt.

_'On the other hand, sometimes I can wish for something, like when I often managed to heal my injuries,'_ he thought. _'It can't hurt to try,'_ he resolved and desperately wished himself to be at Hogwarts just when the other first-years would arrive for the Sorting, so that no one would take him back to his relatives.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Unbeknownst to the eleven-year old boy, his magic was extremely strong, and it did not only take him to his new school but also to the very first Sorting that was just going to commence at the newly built Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry and from where no one would even be able to take him back to his supposed to be home.

When the world stopped turning around, Harry took in his surroundings with excitement and curiosity. _'This is Hogwarts,'_ he realised, staring at the huge castle with many large towers that was right behind him. He found himself on the grounds together with several dozens of other students of about his age, who seemed to have just arrived together with their parents.

ホグワーツへの組分け

All of a sudden, everyone quietened, and a young man with brown hair and a friendly smile began to speak.

"Dear students, dear parents, welcome to Hogwarts. I am Godric Gryffindor, the headmaster, and these are my colleagues..."

Tuning out the headmaster's following introductions, Harry frantically thought, _'Oh no, I'm at the wrong school. Professor Dumbledore should be the headmaster. What am I going to do now?'_

Just when he finally made the decision to speak with one of the teachers, as soon as the headmaster finished his speech, a girl of about his age spoke to him from his left side.

"Hi there, are you all alone?" she asked, curiously.

Harry shyly eyed the girl. She had long, brown hair, brown eyes and the most beautiful smile that he had ever seen.

"Hi," he said in a small voice, hesitantly returning a small smile.

"I'm Ceridwen Hufflepuff, Helga's sister," she explained, before she queried, "Where are your parents? Did you come here just by yourself?"

"Yes," Harry admitted and, seeing that the girl stared at him, apparently waiting for an explanation, added, "My parents are dead, and my relatives hate me because of being magical, so I just wished me here."

"You just wished you here," Ceridwen repeated, incredulously. "Come with me and let me introduce you to my sister. What was your name?"

"I'm Harry," Harry informed her, feeling slightly uncomfortable on the one hand, however, comfortably being taken care of on the other hand.

He did not protest, when Ceridwen motioned him to leave his luggage where it was and took him by the hand to pull him away. She made a beeline through the crowd and led Harry to one of the professors, who apart from her age looked very much like Ceridwen.

"Helga, I've already found a friend," she announced, sounding very happy. "This is Harry."

"Hello," Harry said in a small voice, ready to hide in any available mouse hole, as he noticed the teacher give him a critical look.

"Hello dear," Helga Hufflepuff finally greeted him in a friendly voice. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

"Excuse me Professor," Harry spoke up, hesitantly. "Is there another Hogwarts? I think I'm wrong here. I was supposed to go to the Hogwarts, where Professor Dumbledore is the headmaster."

The teacher gave him a surprised look. "No dear, there's no second Hogwarts, and we've just finished building her."

"This is the one and only Hogwarts," a male professor added, sneering. "Tell me boy, why are you wearing so strange clothes? Don't you have proper school clothes?"

"Oh Sal, leave the boy in peace," Hufflepuff lightly scolded her colleague, before she introduced him as her husband Salazar Slytherin. "Let's see if you're on our list of students," she said, lightly.

"I don't think so, Professor," Harry replied, thoughtfully. "I think Hagrid told me that Hogwarts has been built about one thousand years ago, so..."

"You mean you came here from the future?" Slytherin interrupted him in apparent disbelief.

"Considering how strange his clothing is, it could be," Hufflepuff replied, before she questioned Harry, "what is your date of birth?"

"31 July, 1980," Harry replied, thinking to himself, _'Now they're already going to find out that I'm just a freak.'_

Suddenly realising that everyone else had already headed inside, Hufflepuff ushered her husband, sister and Harry inside and instructed the boy, "Attend the Sorting and come to see us again after dinner. Since we don't know how to take you back to the future, you'll have to stay with us for the time being." Seeing Harry nod, she quickly waved her wand at the boy to adjust his clothing to the current time.

"Don't worry," Ceridwen added, smiling. "I'm happy to have you here, and you'll see everything will turn out well."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Ten minutes later, Harry found himself standing in the Great Hall between the high table in the front and the four house tables behind himself. Professor Ravenclaw called the students one-by-one to come to the front and meet Sopho, the Sorting Hat. Harry felt very much reassured by the fact that Ceridwen remained firmly at his side in spite of the fact that he did not belong to where he was.

"Try to come into my house," the girl whispered, before she headed forward to be sorted.

_'I'll try,'_ Harry resolved, with a small smile playing on his lips. However, the professor did not call him, and only after all the other students had been sorted, she motioned him to come forward.

Again realising that he was a freak and that the Dursleys had been right, Harry hesitantly let himself sink onto the stool, so that the professor could place the Hat on his head. Suddenly, a faint voice spoke up right in his head.

'Hmmm, what am I going to do with you?' it queried, almost causing Harry to panic, when the voice continued, 'You'd fit in all houses.'

'Hufflepuff please,' Harry thought back, urgently. 'I'd like to be together with Ceridwen.'

'For the time being yes, but the next time, I'm going to resort you,' the Hat replied, before it shouted into the hall, "Hufflepuff."

ホグワーツへの組分け

_'That went well,'_ Harry thought, although it was not very comforting to know that he would be resorted at some stage. _'Probably, they'll figure out how to send me back to the future,'_ he mused. _'I like it here though. Ceridwen is very nice, and the professors too.'_

"Harry here," Ceridwen waved him over to the empty seat next to her, and Harry happily sat down.

Apart from Ceridwen and himself, five other first-years, two girls and three boys, were occupying the house table along with five older students. They all introduced themselves to each other, and Harry noticed in relief that they were all very nice and that no one tried to single him out because of being a freak or anything else.

_'I just hope Ceridwen won't tell them that I'm not supposed to be here,'_ he thought, however, to his relief, the girl kept quiet about the matter.

When dinner was finished, Professor Hufflepuff approached the table and instructed the students to follow her into the common room. To Harry she said in a small voice that the professors would like to speak with him afterwards.

_'I hope they'll allow me to stay here,'_ Harry thought, as he followed the group to Hufflepuff house. However, he soon became distracted from his musings by Ceridwen's babbling. The girl told him one story after the next from the time when the Founders had built the staircase and the towers and informed him that she'd like him to help when she was going to assist the Founders again on the weekend.

"I'd love to do so," Harry replied, amazed. _'I'm going to help complete this castle, how cool is that,'_ he thought, although he had to admit to himself that it already looked quite finished.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to introduce you to Hogwarts," Ceridwen promised, grinning, just when they reached the common room. "You'll like her. She's really cute."

Professor Hufflepuff gave the students a short introduction about the rules in her house, as well as sleeping and meal times, before she instructed everyone to go to bed and instructed Harry to follow her.

"I'm going with you," Ceridwen insisted, when the professor led Harry back out of the common room.

"Don't you think I'll be well able to take care of Harry?" Helga Hufflepuff asked her younger sister on the way to the headmaster's office, glaring at the girl.

Ceridwen chuckled. "Yes, but I know Salazar, and he might frighten Harry, so it's better if I join you," she replied, causing Harry to feel very much reassured by his new friend's company.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry looked around in amazement, when he followed the witches into the headmaster's office. It was a round office with large windows, through which he could see the sunset behind the Hogwarts lake.

"This is beautiful," he blurted out in awe.

"Yes, I like it too," Ceridwen agreed, before she showed him the headmaster's phoenix. "This is Fawkes, Godric's familiar," she explained.

#Oh no, it's the chatterbox with another nestling,# the bird trilled, causing Harry to stare at him in amazement. #It's getting too loud here with all these nestlings,# Fawkes added.

"I won't disturb you," Harry promised in a small voice, smiling when the phoenix instructed him to pet his head feathers.

"Can you understand Fawkes?" Gryffindor suddenly queried in apparent surprise, seeing that the boy complied with the bird's command.

"Yes sir," Harry replied, confused.

"That means that you'll probably going to be a phoenix Animagus like myself," Gryffindor informed him, nodding in appreciation, before he motioned Harry and Ceridwen to sit down.

"Apparently, Harry comes from one thousand years into the future," Hufflepuff informed the headmaster, once everyone was seated.

"Is that so?" Gryffindor asked the boy, who returned a hesitant nod.

"How did you come here my boy and why?" he then queried.

"I just wished myself to the Sorting," Harry replied, shrugging. "I don't know why I ended up here and not in 1991. I just intended to go four weeks into the future and not one thousand years to the past."

"I'm glad you're here," Ceridwen threw in, smiling. "Please stay here in our time."

"You travelled one thousand years through time just by wish magic?" her sister spoke up, incredulously. "Are you feeling well after casting such strong magic?"

"I'm fine," Harry replied, uncomfortably. Ever since his travel, he had a splitting headache, however, he knew better than to complain. He absentmindedly noticed how his head of house waved her wand over him a few times.

"You're not fine," she said, sternly. "You depleted your magic to a great extent, and I can't allow you to travel back through time with wish magic for at least a month if not more."

"Very well," Gryffindor threw in, pleasantly. "I suggest that you remain here until the winter holidays and then decide if you wish to return to the future or continue living here with us. How's that?"

Harry nodded, gratefully. "Yes sir, thank you very much," he replied, relieved.

ホグワーツへの組分け

On the way back to Hufflepuff, Helga led the two first-years by the hospital room, where she handed Harry a small goblet and instructed him to drink. "It's a headache potion, and I know that you need it," she said in a no-nonsense voice, before she continued, "At breakfast tomorrow, you'll receive your timetables, and then we'll see which classes you will be able to attend, as I don't want you to do any magic for about two weeks."

"All right," Harry grudgingly agreed, understanding from the professor's voice that any protest would be in vain.

The two friends said good-night to the professor and returned to the common room, noticing in surprise that everyone had already retired to their dormitories.

"Oh well, good night Harry," Ceridwen said, smiling. "I'm happy that you're here."

"Me too," Harry replied, returning the smile. "So far, I really like it here."

With that, he clambered up the staircase to the first-year boys' dormitory, realising in amazement that the bed right next to the window was reserved for him. He changed into his pyjamas, resolving to ask the professor to transfigure them to something that was more adequate for this time, and went to bed. However, just when he was about to fall asleep, he saw something white - silverish float over his bed and looked up in surprise.

It was a ghost. "Hello," Harry whispered in surprise.

"Hello my boy, I'm sorry to disturb you," the ghost addressed him, before he introduced himself as Merlin.

_'Wow, how cool is that?'_ Harry thought, staring at the ghost in amazement.

"There's something that you need to do," Merlin informed him and, seeing Harry cast him a questioning look, continued, "Since you're only eleven, you won't be able to do it now, but I'll come back and give you further instructions in four years' time."

"Excuse me sir, but what is it?" Harry queried in confusion.

"For the time being, it suffices if you help the founders finish Hogwarts. It still lacks lots of magical features like shortcuts between parts that are far away from each other and such. Do your best. I'll be watching you," the ghost informed him, before he bade him good night and floated away, right through the wall.

_'What was that?'_ Harry wondered, feeling very confused. _'I'll ask Ceridwen in the morning. Maybe she'll know what he wants.'_ With that thought in mind, he finally drifted off to sleep.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the morning, Harry's roommates had a hard time to wake up the boy, and Harry had to hurry to be on time for breakfast in the Great Hall, so that he did not have the opportunity to speak with Ceridwen about Ghost Merlin. _'I better speak with her alone, I wouldn't want the others to know that the ghost spoke with me. Maybe he talked to the others as well, but somehow I don't think so,'_ he mused, absentmindedly picking at his breakfast.

He was brought back to reality, when his head of house approached the table and handed out the time tables.

"Mr. Potter," she addressed him in a soft voice, "You may attend your Transfiguration, Charms, Arithmancy, Latin, Potions and Healing classes, however, you are not allowed to do any magic until further notice."

Harry inwardly groaned, but the teacher continued, "You must not attend Defence, Horse Riding and Sword Fighting classes. During these classes, I want you to go my colleagues' offices. The headmaster and my other colleagues will take turns teaching you other things or ask you to assist them with small tasks that don't afford magic. I have marked the name of the teacher who will look after you during a specific class on your timetable. You're not completely well yet, and if you feel unwell, I want you to come and see me at any time. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Professor," Harry replied in a small voice, absentmindedly rubbing his forehead, as he thought, _'Was it really necessary to discuss this in front of everyone else?'_

"I'll look after him," Ceridwen pleasantly promised her sister, causing the professor to nod in appreciation, before she returned to the high table.

"Harry," one of the other first-years, whose name was Gawain, spoke up in a soft voice. "What's wrong if you don't mind me asking? Why are you not allowed to do magic?"

_'What should I tell him?'_ Harry wondered and almost began to panic, when he heard Ceridwen say, "Just tell them the truth, Harry. You're one of us now anyway."

Harry let out a deep sigh. Realising that the whole Hufflepuff table was looking at him in expectation and Ceridwen nodded, encouragingly, he hesitantly explained, "I wished myself to Hogwarts, but somehow I messed up and travelled one thousand years into the past." Ignoring his housemates' collective gasp, he continued, "By doing so, I apparently depleted my magic, so I'm not allowed to do any magic for about two weeks."

"You come from one thousand years into the future?" Gawain blurted out and, seeing Harry nod solemnly, added, "Now that's interesting, thanks for telling us, Harry. We'll surely want to know many things about the future."

Several other students voiced similar comments, and everyone nodded, appreciatively, so that Harry felt strangely reassured by the fact that they all knew the truth about him.

"So now we all have to work together to help Harry adjust to our time, so that he won't do as much as think about returning to the future at any time," Ceridwen spoke up, smiling broadly.

"I already like it a lot here," Harry reassured her and immediately stood from his seat, when the headmaster announced that everyone had to leave for their first morning class.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's disappointment, the first-years' first morning class was Defence, and his head of house came by the house table to enquire if he remembered where the headmaster's office was.

"Yes Professor, thank you," Harry replied, smiling.

"The password for the gargoyle in front of his office is 'Go Sopho go'," Helga informed him, rolling her eyes in apparent annoyance at the choice of the password as she spoke.

Harry chuckled and made his way to the headmaster's office, where he exchanged a quick greeting with Fawkes, before he accepted the offered seat in front of the headmaster's desk.

"Mr. Potter," Gryffindor spoke up, giving Harry a sharp look. "Since you have no family or relatives here in this time, I need one of our professors to become your guardian, while you're here. Therefore, I'd like to take a drop of blood from you and cast a charm on it to see if you by chance are related to anyone here. Do you agree?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied in surprise. _'I just hope he won't tell me that I can't stay here because I'm a freak and no one would want to become my guardian,'_ he thought. As requested, he held out his arm to the headmaster and anxiously observed how the older wizard magically took a drop of blood from his elbow, which he applied to a huge parchment on his desk.

#Don't worry nestling, everything will be fine,# Fawkes reassured him, apparently sensing his anxiousness, while the parchment on the headmaster's desk was magically filled with hundreds of thin, red lines.

"This is interesting," Gryffindor finally spoke up, after quietly studying the parchment for a moment. "You are the heir of all four of us."

Harry stared at the headmaster in disbelief. However, Gryffindor motioned him to come nearer and showed him how the line from his name could be followed back to all four founders of Hogwarts.

"You see, your father James is a many times great grandson of Rowena and myself, while your mother Lily is a many times great granddaughter of Helga and Salazar," the headmaster explained, patiently. "This is probably why your magic brought you here in order to get to know your ancestors," he said, thoughtfully. "Did you live with your parents before you came here?"

"No," Harry replied and explained in a small voice how he had grown up with relatives who despised him because of being magical.

"That's what I thought," Gryffindor said, nodding. "Your magic sensed that you needed to grow up with relatives who appreciate you. It's good that you came here then. I'll speak with my colleagues, and I suggest that all four of us will become your guardians for the time being."

"Thank you very much, sir," Harry agreed, gratefully. He considered if he should tell the headmaster about Merlin's instructions, however, he dismissed the thought and decided to speak with Ceridwen first.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

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><p>During the remaining time before the beginning of the second morning class, the headmaster told Harry how he and his friends had built Hogwarts, which was almost finished but not completely, as well as about life in the magical world in this time. Afterwards, he asked Harry what he knew about the magical world in the future.<p>

"I don't know much sir," Harry replied, sighing. "I only learned that I'm a wizard yesterday, when someone from Hogwarts came to give me my Hogwarts letter and take me to Diagon Alley to buy my school supplies."

"You have all your school books from the future with you?" Rowena Ravenclaw, who had just entered the office, queried in apparent excitement. "I'd love to take a look at them."

"Of course Professor," Harry replied, smiling, before he remembered to ask, "Excuse me, Professors, but how am I going to get my school books here? I don't have any money here in this time."

The founders exchanged a quick look, before Ravenclaw returned the question. "How do people get books in the future?"

"They buy them at the bookshop," Harry replied in confusion.

"Ah all right, but we don't have such shops here," Gryffindor explained. "We write the books and magically copy them for the students. You will get your books in the first class of the respective subject."

_'Ah that's good,'_ Harry thought in relief.

"However, what you need," Ravenclaw spoke up, giving him a pointed look, "are some proper clothes as well as a Charm that adjusts your spoken English to that of our time." Apparently noticing that Harry stared at her in shock, she continued, "As to the Charm, Godric and I can cast it right away, and since we're your guardians now, we'll of course pay for your clothes."

Turning to her husband, she suggested, "Should we ask Ceridwen to take Harry to Hogsmeade in the afternoon, so that either her mother or my mum could accompany them to buy clothes for Harry? None of us will have time to go to the village before the weekend."

"Yes, that's a good idea," Gryffindor agreed, grinning at Harry.

"I'm sorry to be such a burden," Harry spoke up in a small voice, causing both professors to stare at him.

"You're not a burden," Ravenclaw replied in a firm voice. "Who told you such nonsense?"

"My relatives," Harry admitted.

"Well, they were wrong, and you're not a burden," Gryffindor consented with his wife and motioned her to cast the charm on the boy right away.

Harry felt slightly uncomfortable finding himself at wand point, when the two founders cast their spell, however, before he could even feel any different, the professors already let their wands sink.

"Now is that better Harry?" Ravenclaw asked, gently.

"Yes, that's much easier to understand," Harry replied, smiling. "Thank you very much, Professors."

"Did no one ask where your come from?" the headmaster enquired, smirking.

"No sir," Harry replied in a small voice. "However, my housemates know that I come from the future."

"Oh all right, and one can imagine that language changes over time, even if it was still English and we could understand you," Gryffindor said in comprehension. "However, if you don't want to be late for your second morning class, we better let you go now."

"Harry, what is your second morning class?" Ravenclaw enquired.

"Healing," Harry read from his timetable, glad that he already knew the way to the hospital room. He quickly took his leave and received the instruction to come back together with Ceridwen right after lunch.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the afternoon, the two first-years walked to the village, talking animatedly. "Let's go to see my Mum first," Ceridwen said, brightly. "Maybe she has time to take us to Mrs. Berkin. The clothes maker," she added on Harry's questioning look, before she explained that her mother was the healer in Hogsmeade and usually remained at home unless she was called to a patient, so that everyone could easily find her if her help was required.

To Harry's relief, Heather Hufflepuff as well as her husband Heath were as friendly as their daughters, and Heather immediately agreed to help the children buy clothes for Harry.

Harry inwardly groaned, as the two witches busied themselves to select adequate clothes for him together with the clothes maker. He just stood there and observed the scene, feeling uncomfortable on the one hand, but also relieved on the other, as no one paid attention to him, once Mrs. Berkin had measured his sizes.

Three hours later, Harry and Ceridwen walked back to the castle, Harry's new clothes shrunken in their robe pockets and their bellies full with home-made plum cake by Heather Hufflepuff.

_'Oh no, there was no need to buy clothes,'_ Harry suddenly thought. _'I could have just asked one of the teachers to transfigure my school clothes, which I brought from the future, into something from this time.'_ But it was too late now, and he refrained from voicing his thought. Instead, he remembered to talk about something else that was bothering him.

"Last night," he spoke up, hesitantly, "a ghost came to my bed, when I was just about to fall asleep."

"A ghost?" Ceridwen repeated, clearly surprised. "Are you sure? I've never seen a ghost at Hogwarts before."

"Not?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow at the girl. "He told me that he was Merlin."

"Ghost Merlin?" Ceridwen asked, incredulously. "But there's no Ghost Merlin at Hogwarts. Maybe he arrived together with the students yesterday though," she added, shrugging. "I've no idea. Anyway, what did he want from you?"

"I don't know," Harry replied, sighing, and repeated the ghost's words for the girl.

Ceridwen remained pensive for a few minutes. Only when they reached the entrance doors, she said, "I'm sorry Harry, but I don't have a clue if he was really Merlin and what he wants from you." She looked at the time display on the wall in the entrance hall and suggested, "Shall I introduce you to Hogwarts? We just have a bit of time before dinner."

Harry immediately agreed, and Ceridwen led him into a not so frequented small corridor, where she instructed him to put his right hand against the wall, while she did the same.

"Hogwarts," she whispered. "Here's someone, whom I want to introduce to you."

"Hello Hogwarts, I'm Harry," Harry whispered, following Ceridwen's example.

An instant later, they heard a babyish voice reply. "Hello Cewidwen and Hawwy, how nice you come and speak wif me."

_'She's still a baby,'_ Harry realised, smiling.

"Harry's going to help further construct you," Ceridwen informed the castle, "oh well, at least I hope that my sister will allow him to do so. His magic is very strong."

"I don't know that, but I'd like to help," Harry added.

"I'll be happy to have a fifth founder," Hogwarts replied, chuckling. "One day, I'm going to be vewy big."

"You're already quite big," Harry replied, grinning. "We'll see what else we can do."

"Hogwarts," Ceridwen suddenly remembered to ask, "Have you ever seen a ghost within your walls?"

The castle remained quiet for an instant, before she replied, "I fink dewe was a ghost, but he's gone again. I don't know. I was tiwed."

"He spoke with me and told me that we needed to make shortcuts within your walls," Harry said, hesitantly. "Will that be all right with you?"

"Of couwse," Hogwarts agreed in a soft voice. "If I don't like what you do, I will tell you."

ホグワーツへの組分け

After a few more minutes of speaking with Hogwarts, the two friends headed to the Great Hall, where dinner was just about to commence.

_'How strange that no one except for me seems to have seen the ghost,'_ Harry mused. _'Was it only my imagination? But I'm sure that he was there. And I know that I heard what he told me. If he's going to tell me more only in four years' time, that means that I probably won't return to the future. On the other hand, maybe he doesn't know that I come from the future. But why did he just speak to me and not to anyone else?'_

Harry was brought back to reality, when Salazar Slytherin suddenly towered over the Hufflepuff table.

"Hufflepuff and Potter, how dare you miss my class?" he bellowed. "Detention with me in the Potions classroom right after dinner."

"Don't contradict him," Ceridwen whispered to Harry. "My brother-in-law is very moody, and reasoning won't work with him."

_'At least she's going to be with me,'_ Harry thought in relief. _'She doesn't only know where the Potions classroom is but also how to handle the professor.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

After dinner, Ceridwen and Harry trailed down to the dungeons, and Ceridwen led her friend to the Potions classroom.

"Come in," the professor growled upon the girl's hesitant knock.

"Excuse me sir, but Rowena and Godric instructed us to go to Hogsmeade and buy clothes for Harry this afternoon, which he needed urgently," Ceridwen spoke up, smiling at the professor.

"Of course I'm aware of the matter, however, you still missed your Potions class and need to brew the potion now," Salazar replied, grumpily. "The recipe is on the board."

Having no idea what he was supposed to do, Harry questioningly looked at Ceridwen, who returned a calming smile. "I'll show you," she whispered. "Let's get the ingredients first."

Together, they headed to the ingredients cupboard and fetched what they needed to brew a simple potion, which - as Ceridwen explained to Harry - was the basis of all healing potions.

_'How does she already know these things?'_ Harry wondered, when he recalled that Slytherin was Ceridwen's brother-in-law.

He hesitantly took the knife that belonged to the equipment of the work table and began to cut the ingredients in front of him into small pieces.

"Potter!" Slytherin suddenly roared. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Preparing the ingredients?" Harry replied in a barely audible voice, shyly averting his eyes to the floor.

"Sal, can't you see that he's terrified?" Ceridwen threw in. "He doesn't know how to brew. No one has taught him before."

"I'm Professor Slytherin in class," the teacher informed Ceridwen in an icy tone, before he towered over Harry. "Don't tell me that you came to Hogwarts without the slightest introduction into the brewing of potions," he growled, glaring at the boy.

"I'm sorry sir," Harry replied, horrified.

"All magical children in this time," the professor informed him, sneering, "are being taught from the age of six, and they gain at least some common knowledge about easy Charms, Arithmancy as well as potions ingredients and how to prepare them."

"I'm sorry sir, but I grew up with Muggles..."

The Potions Master let out a snort. He grabbed a book out of a bookshelf and tossed it at Harry. "Read this and memorize it until your detention tomorrow right after dinner. You're dismissed," he growled and motioned the boy to leave, before he instructed Ceridwen to go ahead with her potion.

ホグワーツへの組分け

_'How am I supposed to read and memorize a whole Potions book until tomorrow?'_ Harry wondered, terrified, as he returned to the Hufflepuff common room. He quickly informed his housemates about his extra work and retired to the dormitory, knowing that he would otherwise be much too distracted to memorize a whole book.

Lying down on his bed, Harry began to read, noticing to his relief that the book called _'Basics of Potions Ingredients'_ was extremely interesting, easy to read and not overly long. It explained in detail about the difference between magical and non magical potions ingredients, when to harvest them and how to prepare them.

_'Cooking is much easier,'_ Harry mused. _'I only had to cut everything, but here, it depends on the ingredient if it has to be cut, chopped, sliced or mashed.'_

When Ceridwen returned from her detention and came to Harry's dormitory to look for him in apparent concern, he had already read five chapters out of fifteen.

"Show me the book," Ceridwen demanded and skimmed the book, before she returned it, wearing an angry expression. "The passages that are unreadable are Parselscript, so don't be surprised when he asks you about something that's not even written in plain English. I don't know what he's playing at, but I'm going to speak with Helga."

"Unreadable passages?" Harry queried in surprise. "So far, I didn't see one."

Ceridwen opened the book, pointing her finger to the second page. "Here, can you read that?" she queried, sounding upset.

"Moon fern works best when it is harvested between three and four o'clock in the morning after the full moon, because it only then develops its most potent magical properties," Harry read aloud, before he looked back at the girl, who was staring at him in disbelief.

"You can read Parselscript?" she asked, incredulously.

"Sorry Ceridwen, but what is Parselscript?" Harry queried. "It's just normal text."

Ceridwen let out a long sigh, before she explained, "Parselscript is written Parseltongue, snake language. Salazar is the only person I know who can speak with snakes, and he often uses Parselscript for parts in his books, which he doesn't want normal people to know."

"I can speak with snakes," Harry admitted, hesitantly. "Is that bad?"

"No," Ceridwen replied, smiling. "On the contrary. You're lucky, because Salazar will adore you if he finds out about it."

_'Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were right. I am a freak,'_ Harry thought, sadly.

"Nevertheless, I'm going to speak with Helga," Ceridwen decided. "I'm going to take the book with me. You need to sleep now anyway. Curfew has already begun."

"No, I need to read some more tonight, otherwise I won't be able to finish it on time," Harry protested, although he had to admit to himself that he was tired and had a headache.

ホグワーツへの組分け

However, before Ceridwen could reply let alone leave the dormitory, her sister stepped into the room to check on the children, since both were missing from the common room, when she came to look after her students at curfew.

"Hello Harry and Ceridwen," she greeted them in a friendly voice. "Is everything all right? How was your day?"

"Fine," Harry replied, quickly, before Ceridwen could voice her complaint.

"Helga, you must speak with Sal," Ceridwen finally spoke up, showing the book to her sister, before she repeated what the Potions Master had said to Harry.

"Give me the book," the professor said, holding out her hand, and Harry noticed that her usually friendly face was covered by an angry frown.

"Please professor, leave me the book," Harry begged the teacher. "It's really interesting, and I want to read it."

"You may come and get it back from me in the morning," Hufflepuff replied, resolutely, quickly waving her wand over Harry. "You are still not well, and you need much rest for your magic to recover. I'll speak with my husband and inform him that you won't be able to finish the book by dinnertime."

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was only five o'clock in the morning, when Harry made his way to the hospital room to get his book back. To his relief, his head of house just came into the room from the other direction, giving him a surprised look.

"Good morning, Harry. Are you ill, or did you come so early just for your book?" she enquired in a soft voice.

"Good morning Professor," Harry replied, smiling. "I just want the book," he then explained.

The professor rolled her eyes. "Oh well, if my husband is unfriendly or gives you even more detentions, come to me and I'll excuse you from any detention because of your headache."

"Thank you Professor, but I'll manage," Harry reassured her, feeling slightly uncomfortable at her kind words. _'Only in the worst case, I'll take her up on her offer,'_ he resolved. Not wanting to return to his dormitory, he headed out to the lake and made himself comfortable on the shore, leaning his back against a tree.

Two hours later, he was so engrossed in his book that he did not only miss breakfast but was almost late for his first morning class. He only managed to slip into the Transfiguration classroom right before the headmaster closed the door. _'Thank Merlin Ceridwen showed me all the classrooms yesterday,'_ he thought, as he slid into the empty seat next to her.

"Where have you been?" Ceridwen whispered. "Helga was very angry that you missed breakfast."

Gryffindor saved Harry from replying, as he chose that instant to distribute small pieces of unicorn hair to the students and taught them a spell to change the hair into pieces of wood of the same size.

Together with everyone else, Harry tried to wave his wand in the correct movement, while whispering the incantation, however, it took many attempts before he managed the transfiguration, gaining five house points for Hufflepuff. To his surprise, only Ceridwen was able to fulfil the task, and when the headmaster dismissed them, he instructed the students to practise the spell.

_'Oh no, I wasn't supposed to do magic,'_ Harry suddenly realised, noticing that his headache had worsened considerably. _'I must be more careful and only put magic into a spell when I'm sure that I got the wand movement right,'_ he resolved. To his relief, this way of practice worked well, and in his Charms class, he once again gained five house points for Hufflepuff.

_'At least for Potions we don't need magic,'_ he thought, as he followed his classmates to the dungeons for their last morning class with mixed feelings. _'I just hope that Slytherin is in a better mood than last night,'_ he mused, unaware of the fact that he would be certain that the professor absolutely despised him for some reason before the class would even be over.

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As soon as the professor made the recipe for the potion appear on the board that the first-years were supposed to brew, Harry eagerly gathered his ingredients, glad that the names of all the ingredients seemed familiar. Without checking what Ceridwen was doing next to him, he busied himself preparing the ingredients, relieved that he knew how to prepare each of them. _'Thank Merlin he made me read that book,'_ he thought, when he finally began with the brewing process, noticing that he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Afterwards, he could not recall how it had happened - maybe it was a moment of inattentiveness due to being tired and having a headache, anyway, he stirred into the wrong direction. As soon as the bright orange liquid in his cauldron let out an angry hiss, the professor towered over him, shouting.

"Potter!" he spat. "Aren't you even capable of reading? Didn't they teach you anything in the future? I don't know what idiot admitted you to Hogwarts, but I believe that you'd better hurry to gain some basic knowledge. Go back to the future, if they allow such dunderheads at Hogwarts in your time," he roared.

With that, Harry saw red. Before Ceridwen could prevent him from reacting, he grabbed all of the remaining ingredients that were still on his desk and threw them into the cauldron, not expecting the liquid to turn dark green and explode all over himself within an instant.

"100 points from Hufflepuff," Slytherin growled. "Potter, go to the hospital room NOW! You're exempt from Potions until further notice."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry felt as if his whole body was burning. But that was nothing against the humiliation by the professor. It was not as if he wasn't used to being humiliated. His aunt and uncle had seen to that. However, he was now in the magical world, he had been accepted in this time by the other teachers and by his housemates, he had gained the first friend ever in his life, had found out that all four teachers were his ancestors, and even the castle had accepted him and allowed him to help with her further construction. Above all, he had just found out that he really liked to brew. _'Why does Slytherin hate me so much?'_ he wondered, feverishly trying to suppress the tears that welled in his eyes.

Grabbing his book bag, he stumbled out of the Potions classroom without even considering where he was going. A few minutes later, he found himself back on the shore of the lake, where he had already spent a few hours in the morning.

_'What am I going to do?'_ he mused. _'Should I return to the future, considering how much Slytherin seems to hate me for whatever reason? On the other hand, I really like it here, and for the first time in my life, I've found a real friend. I wouldn't want to lose Ceridwen. She's amazing.'_ He stared over the lake without seeing anything, as his thoughts went haywire. Therefore, he almost jumped in surprise, when a huge face suddenly appeared right in front of his eyes.

"Don't be afraid, I won't harm you, but you mussst go to sssee Helga. You have lotsss of green poxxx," a hissing voice addressed him.

"Yesss, I will," Harry replied, staring at the huge snake that had appeared seemingly out of nothing in surprise.

"Oh my, a ssspeaker," the basilisk hissed. "I'm Amaterasssu, Salazzzar's familiar. I didn't know that there was a ssspeaker apart from Salazzzar. That'sss very good newss."

"You're a beautiful sssnake," the boy replied, smiling at the large animal.

"I'm not a sssimple sssnake, I'm a basilisssk," Amaterasu corrected him in a soft voice, before she once more instructed Harry to go and see Helga and slithered away.

_'I wonder where Salazar is keeping such an enormous familiar,'_ Harry thought, observing how the basilisk vanished through what seemed to be a small opening a little further up the shore.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Knowing that the last morning class was already over and Ceridwen would be worried if she couldn't find him, Harry slowly made his way to the hospital room, where the healer and her sister were already waiting for him, shooting him a double glare.

"As far as I know, my husband sent you to me already an hour ago," Hufflepuff spoke up in a stern voice and handed him a goblet with a lime green potion. "Drink up and make yourself comfortable on the first bed. I'm going to keep you here for the rest of today."

"Oh no, please let me go," Harry begged the professor. "I can't miss even more classes."

"If my colleagues or I decide that you have to miss a class for whatever reason, you will miss the class," the founder replied in a firm voice. "I have already told my husband as much, and I will speak to all my colleagues about the matter again later on."

"I was thinking if I should return to the future, considering that Professor Slytherin seems to hate me so much," Harry said in a small voice, hesitantly turning his eyes to Ceridwen.

"No Harry, stay here, please," the girl replied, immediately.

Her sister let out a long sigh. "Harry, don't make any rushed decisions just because of my husband's moods. He's not easy to get along with, and he seems to be upset or jealous because you come from the future. I believe that he'd love to visit the future to see what potions they have in the future that might cure illnesses for which we don't have a remedy in our time. However, he's not capable of wish magic like you seem to be. Trust me though, he'll get used to you over time..."

"Especially if he gets to know that Harry is a Parselmouth," Ceridwen interrupted her sister in apparent excitement.

"Well, I'm not going to tell him," Harry mumbled in annoyance.

"Until Salazar accepts you back into his Potions class, I'll teach you Potions, provided that I'm not needed here," Hufflepuff promised and explained that there was a small potions lab attached to the hospital room.

"Thank you very much, Professor," Harry replied, gratefully.

"You're welcome dear, and considering that I'm one of your guardians now, feel free to call me Helga in private," the healer replied and called a house-elf to ask for lunch for Harry and Ceridwen.

While the two first-years had lunch together in the hospital room, the healer headed to the Great Hall for a quick meal, during which she instructed her three colleagues to come to her office for a conversation about one of her patients after the last afternoon class.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Ceridwen went to attend her afternoon classes, Harry drifted off to sleep. However, for the first time since he had come to Hogwarts, his sleep was disturbed by nightmares. Not only Helga, but also her sister and colleagues observed in shock how he alternately begged his uncle and Professor Slytherin not to hurt him.

"Salazar, if you have problems with a student, speak with us about the matter," the headmaster spoke up in a stern voice. "However, I will not have any of you verbally abuse any of our students. Moreover, none of you may exempt a student from your class without my consent. Is that clear?"

"Attending Potions classes without any knowledge whatsoever is dangerous," Slytherin replied, grumpily, "especially if the student is too stupid to read."

"I'm going to teach Harry Potions for the time being," his wife offered.

"Please do so, Helga," Ravenclaw threw in, nodding in appreciation. "He's a very sweet boy and not stupid at all. I'm sure that he'll be able to catch up quickly. I don't think that all the other students know as much about Potions as, for example, Ceridwen though."

"Who of our students is a Parselmouth by the way?" Slytherin suddenly asked. Seeing everyone stare at him in surprise, he explained, "When I visited Amaterasu during my free period, she told me that she became friends with a student who was capable of speaking Parseltongue."

"No idea, Salazar," Gryffindor replied, after casting his colleagues a questioning look.

"I know who it is, however, the student asked me to keep it a secret," the healer informed her husband, truthfully.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following days, Slytherin completely ignored Harry, and the boy did his best to not break the rules or come in any way near the moody Potions Master. His wife was a fantastic teacher, and since she had to teach less classes than her colleagues due to being the healer, she had much time to teach Harry Potions.

Only two weeks later, Helga allowed Harry to do magic again, and he was able to attend all of his classes. Even during his Defence class, the Potions Master mostly ignored him in spite of being the teacher, and Harry tried to concentrate hard to not attract any attention.

ホグワーツへの組分け

On Saturday morning after breakfast, Ceridwen motioned Harry to accompany her. "Today, we need to help Rowena finish Ravenclaw tower. So far, it only has the first-year girls' and boys' dormitories, and we need to build the rest," she told him with apparent excitement that was very contagious. Harry eagerly followed his friend to the Ravenclaw tower, where he inspected the common room with interest_. 'It's not so different from the Hufflepuff common room,'_ he thought. _'It's mostly the colours that are different.'_

To his relief, all the founders except for Slytherin continued to be very friendly to him, and Professor Ravenclaw thanked him profusely, as she noticed that he came to help. She showed Ceridwen and Harry the necessary spells, and under her supervision, the two first-years built the second-year boys' dormitory.

"Well done," she commended the friends. "If you're still not tired, you may continue with the girls' dormitory, while I add the washing rooms."

By the end of the day, they had completed all the necessary dormitories for Ravenclaw, and they were tired but very happy.

"This was much fun, and I think we learned a lot today," Harry said, happily, when they headed to the Great Hall for dinner.

"The older students will be happy that they don't have to live in the first-year dormitories anymore," Ceridwen replied, chuckling, before she suggested, "Let's go to see Helga after dinner to ask what we can help with tomorrow."

"All right," Harry agreed, as he always concurred with Ceridwen's many ideas. However, he almost regretted his readiness to help, when Helga informed them that they were supposed to assist her husband making some shortcuts from the dungeons to the upper parts of the castle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>To Harry's relief, the Potions Master behaved as if nothing had ever happened between the two of them, even if Harry found that the professor mostly talked to Ceridwen. He informed Ceridwen and Harry that, first of all, he wanted to make a short passage from the Slytherin common room to his office and led them to both spots, before he taught them the spell that was supposed to work for this purpose. Unfortunately, the spell did not make a whole passage at once but only a small part, and then it had to be re-casted. "I'm going to make a shortcut from my office to the corridor in front of the headmaster's office," he informed the children. "Call one of the house-elves to fetch me if necessary."<p>

Harry and Ceridwen eagerly took turns casting the spell and had much fun as their corridor slowly expanded.

Once, Ceridwen placed her hand onto the just expanded wall and asked, "Hogwarts, this doesn't hurt you, right?"

"No dear, you're both doing a brilliant job," the castle replied, causing the friends to smile.

"She sounds less babyish than the last time," Harry whispered, when Ceridwen took her hand off the wall.

"Yes, that's true," the girl admitted. "All right then, let's continue. This is really fun."

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Even if the Potions Master behaved civically towards Harry, when Ceridwen and Harry continued to assist the founders during the weekends, he did not say anything about allowing Harry back to his Potions class.

On the one hand, Harry was very sad, as he especially enjoyed the brewing of potions and would have liked to have the class together with his friends. However, on the other hand, Helga was a fantastic teacher, and two weeks before the beginning of the Christmas holidays, Harry had already finished his first year Potions book.

"Congratulations Harry, you did that really well, and I believe that you're very adept at brewing," Helga commended him, smiling. "I suggest that you take the test together with your class next week," she continued. "If you brew like you do here, you'll manage the practical test with an O, and the theoretical part won't be a problem anyway."

"All right," Harry agreed, hesitantly. "Excuse me Helga, but could you please ask your husband if I may take the test together with everyone else?" he asked, shyly.

Helga cast him a comforting smile. "Of course I will, and if you do well on your test, I'm sure that my husband will allow you to attend his class again."

_'I'm not sure if I want that at all,'_ Harry thought, smirking. _'I've learned much more that I'd have learned in class.' _However, he knew better than to voice his thoughts.

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Harry found both tests very easy. However, before the beginning of the holidays, the professor did neither return his test nor inform him about the theoretical result. _'Probably, he just doesn't want me in his class, because he doesn't like me,' _Harry thought in the evening of the last day of classes, ignoring the small voice that spoke up from the back of his head and informed him that the teacher probably had not even corrected the written tests.

All of a sudden, he had an idea. _'I can't ask Helga to work through the second Potions book with me, but maybe she'd be willing to let me brew the recipes from my future first-year book,'_ he thought. Excusing himself with Ceridwen and Gawain for a minute, he darted up to the dormitory and eagerly pulled out his future books from the back of his wardrobe. He had lend Rowena his Charms and Transfiguration books, but all the other books were still there, and so far, he had merely ignored them. Now, however, he opened the Potions book with interest, only to realise that apart from the very basic healing potions everything was different.

_'I'll go and ask Helga,'_ he decided, confirming with a glance at the time display on the wall that he still had an hour until curfew. He returned to the common room and quickly filled in his friends, not surprised when Ceridwen immediately rose from her chair to accompany him, while Gawain had to pack his belongings in order to travel home for the holidays in the morning.

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"Harry, that's a brilliant idea," Helga commended him, warmly, and suggested, "Since I have time during the holidays, you could brew the recipes from Harry's future book together every evening if you wish."

"I'd love that," Ceridwen beat Harry to his positive reply in apparent excitement. "Can we begin tomorrow please?"

"That would be great," Harry echoed, giving the professor a pleading look.

"Of course dears, we can do that," Helga promised. "Harry, may I borrow the book until then? Maybe we can even find some healing potions that might be valuable in our time."

Smiling, Harry nodded and thanked his head of house for his willingness to teach him and Ceridwen even during the holidays.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the morning, the parents of the students who were going to travel home over the holidays arrived in time for breakfast, and Harry observed with interest how the parents sitting at the Hufflepuff table interacted with their children and the friends of their children. _'It must be great to have parents,'_ he thought, although he had to admit to himself that Helga acted towards him like he could imagine how a mother would behave towards her son. _'She's much more protective of Ceridwen and me like of any of the other students,'_ he mused. _'Well, Ceridwen is special of course, because she's her sister.'_

He was brought back to reality, when Ceridwen suddenly whispered, "I love the Christmas decorations. They make the Great Hall look so much warmer and cosier than usual."

Harry looked around and could only agree. _'They don't have a Christmas tree though,'_ he realised, knowing that the Dursleys had always had a huge Christmas tree that occupied at least a quarter of the living room. The thought _'Maybe they don't have Christmas trees in this time yet'_ crossed his mind, and he decided to ask Ceridwen or Helga about it, when the other students had left.

ホグワーツへの組分け

All of a sudden, everyone sitting at the high table were transformed into parrots.

"Who was that?" Salazar queried, as he hopped onto the table and let his eyes wander around the room.

One of the adults sitting near Harry waved her wand at the parrot on the head table, before she spoke up. "I don't think that it's a Transfiguration, because I can't change you back. I suppose that it's a potion."

"Thank you for trying, Mrs. Adams," Gryffindor replied, before he turned to his colleague. "Who is that good at Potions, Sal?"

The Potions Master remained pensive for a quick moment, before he spat, "Milton and Morton! How dare you?"

Harry listened in surprise, trying to suppress a chuckle. Dean Milton and Drake Morton were Gryffindor fifth years. They were inseparable and very funny. He had often spoken with them and liked them a lot. He held his breath when the two older boys admitted that it had been them who had brewed the prank potion and that the prank would last twenty-four hours.

"Detention with me until the end of the holidays," Slytherin bellowed as well as he could in his parrot form.

"Yes sir," the two fifth-years replied, simultaneously.

As soon as the unsettling conversation was over, the headmaster turned parrot addressed the students and their parents and wished everyone a Happy Christmas and relaxing holidays. "I'll see you all back here in the evening of the first of January," he finally said.

ホグワーツへの組分け

While everyone headed out onto the snowy grounds, from where the parents were going to apparate home with their children, Ceridwen said to Harry, "Oh no, we're going to have a busy day. Remember Helga told us we were going to make the guest quarters for our parents today, but the adults won't be able to help at all."

Harry rolled his eyes, as he replied, dryly, "Oh well, at least they can speak and will be able to teach us the incantations."

"Are you sure that you want to make the rooms?" Helga enquired, after the last students had returned home. "I can fly home and tell Mum and Dad to come here tomorrow instead of tonight. Since tomorrow is Christmas Eve, it's still early enough."

"No," Ceridwen and Harry replied, simultaneously.

Ceridwen gave her sister a ride on her shoulder, and the friends made their way to a spot between the hospital room and the private quarters of the founders.

"I want the guest room for Mum and Dad here, and between the guest room and Ceridwen's room, I want to make a room for Harry," Helga informed them.

In the meantime, the other three founders had joined them, and together, they guided the two first-years through the process of making a guest room. To the children's relief, Hogwarts was very forthcoming and helped as much as she could from her side, so that Ceridwen and Harry efficiently managed to build the guest quarters including a living room, a bedroom and a bathroom by dinnertime.

"You did an amazing job here, Ceridwen and Harry. Well done," Rowena commended the friends, before she enquired, "When are Heather and Heath going to arrive?"

"I told them to be here on time for dinner," Helga informed her. "So we should leave for the Great Hall. The rooms still need some decorations, but I'm afraid they have to do that themselves," she added, giving the children a sharp look.

ホグワーツへの組分け

After a short dinner, during which the teachers turned parrots sat on one side of the table, eating from a huge plate with bird delicacies, Helga decided to take Harry with him to the guest room in her own quarters, noticing that both children were dead on their feet in spite of the Pepperup potion that she had made them drink earlier.

When he was lying in bed a few minutes later, Harry spoke up, hesitantly. "Helga, may I ask something?"

"Of course dear," the founder replied, sounding surprised.

"You know during dinner, the headmaster asked me if I wanted to remain here in the past or return to the future and told me that I should make a decision during these holidays," Harry began in a small voice.

"Yes dear," Helga replied, looking at him in what seemed to be expectation, as far as Harry could assume from her parrot face.

"Do they want me to return to the future?" he blurted out, feeling anxious.

"No, of course not," Helga reassured him, immediately. "No one wants you to return to the future. I believe that you have adjusted very well here, and if you're happy here, you should stay here. I know for a fact that all of my colleagues are very fond of you and none of them wants you to leave."

"Not even Professor Slytherin?" Harry asked, uncertainly.

"No dear, not even Salazar," Helga replied, smiling. "Good night Harry."

Harry bade the founder good night and resolved to never return to the future as he closed his eyes, unaware that it would take less than a month, before he would wish himself back to where he had come from.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the winter holidays, Ceridwen and Harry spent all their free time between helping the founders with the building of Hogwarts and brewing the potions from Harry's future first-year book in the small lab behind the hospital room.

"Harry, if you don't mind, I'd like to make a copy of this book and give it to Salazar," Helga said one day. "There are several recipes of potions with that I'd like him to provide me."

"Of course," Harry agreed, smiling, thinking _'It's great to be able to help them for a change.'_

Too soon for his liking, the holidays ended, and the other students came back in the evening before classes resumed.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was only a week after the beginning of classes that Ceridwen and Harry received horrifying news.

One evening, Helga told them, "I'm sorry, but I'd like to take a break for a while." Seeing the two children stare at her with a combination of disbelief and disappointment, she said, "One of the Ravenclaw first-years came down with the unicorn measles." Ignoring Ceridwen's gasp, she explained to Harry, "The unicorn measles are very dangerous and unfortunately incurable. The death rate is about eighty percent. Fortunately, it is only contagious after its outbreak, so I hope that we're not going to have a mass outbreak at Hogwarts. However, I might have caught it from the girl, and even if it wouldn't be contagious for the two of you yet, it might be dangerous for you. The incubation time is five days, and the illness lasts for about two weeks. Therefore, I don't wish to see you at all for about two weeks. From tomorrow morning onwards, all of my classes will be cancelled as well."

Seeing that Ceridwen's eyes filled with tears, Harry replied, "Oh no, Helga, please take good care of yourself. But who will look after you if you get it?"

Helga gave the boy a reassuring smile. "I'm not a healer for nothing, Harry. I can look after myself, especially as I can prepare everything in advance. Now I hope that I'll see you in two weeks' time at the latest."

During the following days, the two friends still walked to the hospital room every evening to at least exchange a few words with Helga through the closed door. However, one day, when they reached the door, a small parchment was attached to the door that said _'Closed due to illness for at least two weeks. If you have any health-wise problems, please go to see Professor Slytherin'._

ホグワーツへの組分け

Like in a trance, the two friends left and, instead of walking back to the common room, turned in the other direction and entered Harry's room, where they quietly sat on the edge of his bed next to each other.

Only now, Ceridwen allowed her tears to flow freely.

"Ceridwen," Harry said in a soft voice, gently laying his arm around her shoulders. "I have an idea." Seeing the girl blink and give him a questioning look through a curtain of tears, he said, trying to sound more confident than he actually felt, "I'm going to travel to the future. I'm sure that one thousand years into the future, they'll have a cure for the unicorn measles."

"No Harry," Ceridwen protested, vehemently. "It would be bad enough if Helga died, but I can't bear losing you at the same time."

"You won't lose me," Harry replied in a soothing voice. "I'll go and buy all the Potions books that I can find. I've lots of money in the future, so it's no problem, and I'll try to be back tomorrow morning."

"Harry, you must be careful. Remember how you depleted your magic the last time," Ceridwen replied in concern. "I wished I could go with you."

Harry gently rubbed circles into the girl's back. "No Ceridwen, taking someone with me would afford too much magic I'm afraid. But don't worry, I'll stay in the future overnight to get some rest. The time doesn't matter anyway. Maybe I won't be able to find the exact time to come back, but I will come back very soon."

When Ceridwen hesitantly nodded, he stood from the edge of his bed. "Let's go back to the common room," he suggested, adding, "I need to fetch my future robes and some money for the travel."

Twenty minutes later, Harry was back in his own room and changed into his future clothes. _'I want to arrive here in my own room on the thirtieth of August, 1991,'_ he thought, resolving to divide the time travel and the regional travel. Just when the world began to turn around in front of his eyes, Ceridwen's words penetrated his mind. "I love you, Harry."

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's relief, he managed to arrive in his own room. _'Was that Ceridwen?' _he wondered. _'I didn't even notice that she followed me back into my room. Anyway, thank Merlin this room still exists in this time,' _he thought, although he was not really sure what the date was. _'Maybe Hogwarts knows,'_ he thought and quickly placed his hand against the wall.

"Hogwarts, can you hear me?" he asked, feverishly hoping that he was still able to communicate with the castle.

"Of course my dear boy," the voice of a kind old woman replied. "You managed to time your travel perfectly. Now let me give you some magic, so that you'll be able to apparate out of here and to Diagon Alley," she said, and Harry noticed how he began to feel better immediately.

"Thank you so much, Hogwarts," he whispered, gratefully. "I hope to be back later today."

"I'll be here, waiting for you," the castle replied in a soft voice.

Harry once again thanked the old lady and wished himself to Diagon Alley, somewhere near the apothecary, where he had bought his school supplies together with Hagrid.

He hesitantly entered the apothecary and addressed the man who was standing at him behind the counter. "Excuse me sir, do you have a potion for the unicorn measles?" he asked, hesitantly.

"Yes," the man replied in apparent surprise. "Is it for an adult?" he then queried, giving Harry a sharp look.

"One adult and one elven-year old, sir," Harry replied, feeling incredibly relieved, unaware that the customer, who had already been in the shop looking at some ingredients when Harry had come in, observed him in clear disdain.

An instant later, the shopkeeper returned with six small phials. "The patient needs one of these phials every ten hours along with a strong fever reducer, the child needs half a phial every ten hours," he informed the boy and cast an unbreakable charm as well as a shrinking charm on the phials.

Harry paid and profusely thanked the wizard, before he left the apothecary, thinking, _'I'll be able to cure Helga, thank Merlin. Nevertheless, I should try to get the recipe, in case that more students have fallen ill by now.'_

He made his way to Flourish & Blotts, where he did not only buy a copy of all the Potions books from second to seventh year, but also skimmed the bookshelf for other interesting books about potions. With a huge pile of books on his arm, he headed to the Healing section and chose a few books about healing spells and charms as well as a huge tome about all magical illnesses.

The shop owner cast him a surprised look upon seeing his choice of about three dozen books out of the Potions and Healing sections, however, he did not comment and nodded his agreement, when Harry asked him to take the money out of the Potter vault like Hagrid had taught him before.

"Shall I cast a shrinking charm at the books?" he offered, causing Harry to nod in relief. "You only have to tap them with your wand to enlarge them again," the older wizard informed him in a friendly voice.

The phials in one robe pocket and the books in another, Harry headed out into Diagon Alley that was full with students and their parents on this sunny summer day. _'I want to buy something nice for Ceridwen,'_ he thought, as he walked along the shopping street, looking into the windows.

Finally, something caught his eye. It was in the window of a small jeweller's shop and was called 'Friendship rings'. According to the description, the rings were made of silver with a gold coating, and they were equipped with a feature that allowed the wearers of the matching rings to communicate through telepathy. He entered the shop in determination and told the owner that he wished to buy a pair of friendship rings.

"Do you have so much money?" the owner enquired. "The rings alone cost 20 Galleons, and if you want me to apply additional charms..."

"What charms?" Harry interrupted the old wizard in excitement. "And yes, I have enough money. You can take the necessary amount right from the Potter vaults."

When Harry left the shop, happily carrying two rings with him that were decorated with the four animals of the Hogwarts quest as well as a phoenix in addition, the rings were equipped with all possible charms that were adequate for healers and potion brewers in this time.

ホグワーツへの組分け

_'All right, I need to go back and cure Helga,'_ Harry decided and wished himself back to his own room at Hogwarts.

"I'm back," he informed Hogwarts, putting his hand against the wall.

"Thank Merlin, and did you get what you need?" Hogwarts asked, gently.

"Yes," Harry replied, happily. "I'm now going to return to the past." He dismissed Hogwarts' suggestion of taking a nap first and concentrated on his wish magic, whishing himself back to the very early morning of the tenth of January, 992.

_'I should have bought a headache potion as well'_ was his first thought, when the movement stopped. A mere instant later, he heard the voice that he was most happy to hear say his name.

"Harry, I'm so glad that you're back," Ceridwen told him, pulling him into a bear's hug.

"I told you that I'd come back," Harry replied, tiredly. He took the six phials out of his robe pocket and placed them on the table. "She needs them every ten hours, and the student half of a phial," he informed the girl, knowing that she would see to it that the phials would make their way into her sister's hands.

"All right Harry, you lie down and sleep now. I'll go and take the potions to Helga, and I'll excuse you with the other professors," Ceridwen said, resolutely.

"Yes Mum," Harry replied, already drifting off to sleep, when his head came in touch with his pillow.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When his mind turned back to awareness, Ceridwen and Professor Slytherin were standing at his bed side.

"No magic for at least a fortnight," Slytherin told the girl, who nodded in understanding.

"Professor, wait," Harry mumbled and hurried to bring himself into an upright position.

"Have you not learned anything from the last time?" Slytherin growled. "Depleting your magic is very dangerous."

"Yes, but I had to go to save your wife's life," Harry replied in a very upset voice. "I brought many Potions books from the future by the way, in case you're interested."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Seeing an expression of delight flash up in the Potions Master's face, before it returned to the usual growl that he always displayed in front of Harry, Harry asked Ceridwen to hand him his robes and pulled out the pile of shrunken books.

Ceridwen's and the professor's eyes widened in disbelief, when Harry tapped the pile with his wand, and several dozen books spread over his bed.

"Oh Merlin, this must be like many times Christmas and birthdays at once for you and Helga, right, Sal?" Ceridwen blurted out, pleasantly.

"Indeed," Slytherin agreed, seemingly amazed beyond belief. "Let's see if we can find the potion for the unicorn measles."

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following hour until dinner, Ceridwen, Harry and the professor busied themselves skimming the books for the potion for the unicorn measles. It was Ceridwen who finally found it.

"Here," she said in excitement. "Should we brew it right away in case we need more of the potion?"

Slytherin looked at the recipe with apparent interest, before he lay the book aside, wearing an indifferent expression. Instead, he held out the book _'Most Potente Potions'_ and said, "This is a treasure trove. Thanks Potter for bringing these books here."

"No problem," Harry replied in confusion at the sudden change of topic.

"Sal, what's wrong with the recipe?" Ceridwen asked, urgently. "Shouldn't we go and brew the potion? Harry and I can assist."

Slytherin glared at the girl. "Don't you think I'd already be doing so if it was possible?" he sneered. "We're lacking the necessary ingredients. Some of them we don't have in this time."

"Excuse me sir," Harry asked in a soft voice, "what exactly is missing? I can go and buy the ingredients."

The Potions Master glared at the boy. "By which means are you going to travel if I may ask? Your magic is at a level of twenty percent."

"Sal, is there no potion that you can brew for Harry? You know that it's important to brew more of the potion for the unicorn measles. What if there aren't enough phials to cure Helga and the student? And if you caught it from them when you went to administer the potion earlier?" Ceridwen asked, urgently.

_'Oh no, if Slytherin caught it, it would be really bad, as no one else would be able to brew the potion,'_ Harry thought and hesitantly spoke up. "Maybe Hogwarts could back up my magic again like she did when I arrived in the future earlier."

"Hogwarts gave you magic?" Slytherin queried, quirking an eyebrow. "She shouldn't be able to share her magic with students."

"Don't forget that Harry is the heir of the four of you, and she knows that. She even recognises that I'm Helga's sister," Ceridwen explained, impatiently.

The Potions Master laid his hand against the wall and asked the castle about the matter.

Hogwarts let out a long sigh, before she replied, "Harry is my fifth founder, and as such I should be able to help him out with my magic. However, as you know, I'm only a child and don't have as much magic as I'll probably have one thousand years into the future, when I'll be an old lady. However, if you and the other founders gave me some magic, I'd be able to share it with Harry."

"All right, we'll do that," Slytherin decided. "I'll speak with my colleagues at dinner time. Thanks Hogwarts." Releasing the wall, he turned to the first-years. "Come on, let's attend dinner. Afterwards, we'll see what we can do about your magical level, Potter. As soon as you're well enough, I'd like you to go and get the ingredients that we're missing for the potion."

"No problem, sir," Harry replied and made a mental note to buy a few phials of headache potion in the future, not wanting to ask the moody Potions Master.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Since the professors insisted that Harry had to at least remain overnight before travelling again so soon, Ceridwen took Harry with her to Hufflepuff, where they spent the night in their dormitories. In the meantime, Salazar Slytherin made himself comfortable in Harry's room, skimming several of the future's Potions books, and after breakfast in the Great Hall, he handed Harry a long list of ingredients.

"Potter, it would be best if you could bring these as plants, not as simple ingredients," he said, thoughtfully, for once without malice in his voice.

"Maybe Rowena could invent a self-refilling charm for you, so the ingredients will last forever?" Ceridwen threw in, grinning.

"Go and attend your classes," Slytherin replied, grumpily, before he turned back to Harry. "Ask at the ingredients shop where you can get the plants. Maybe you'll need to speak with the Potions Master at Hogwarts." He took the shopping list back and scribbled a sentence on the bottom of the parchment.

_'To my successor as Potions Master at Hogwarts  
>Please help Harry Potter to gather the above mentioned ingredients, preferably as plants for use in my time.<em>

_Salazar Slytherin.'_

"Show this to the Potions Master. He'll surely have heard my name as one of the founders of Hogwarts," he instructed the boy. "Now I have to go and teach my first morning class. Hogwarts will give you some magic before you leave, and she'll probably be able to give you much more, once you're in the future. Take enough time to rest before you return."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Deep in thoughts, Harry returned to his room. _'I hope they won't do anything to me. I don't even know who's the Potions Master in the future,'_ he thought and felt comfortable enough with Hogwarts to voice his concerns.

"Harry, please ask my future self," the castle replied in a soft voice. "However, since you're one of my founders, no one will be able to hurt you within my walls and on my grounds, not even in the future. Trust me. Speak with my future self. She'll advise you where to go and to whom to speak. And now let me give you some magic."

A few minutes later, Harry readied himself for the travel. _'Maybe I should arrive during the summer holidays after my supposed to be last Hogwarts year,'_ he mused. _'At that time, they should already know that I'm not attending Hogwarts in their time.'_ With this thought in mind, he wished himself to the first of August, 1998.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Arriving in the future, Harry glanced at the display of date and time that Rowena had kindly added to his room. To his relief, he had once again managed to time his arrival in the future perfectly. However, feeling utterly exhausted, he decided to take a nap before seeking Hogwarts' advice how to proceed with his task.

By the time he woke up, the rays of the early morning sun flooded the small room. _'Thank Merlin it's not the middle of the night,'_ Harry thought. _'Maybe I'll mange to get everything I need today, so that I can go back right away.'_ He lazily placed his hand on the wall and greeted the castle.

"Good morning Hogwarts, how are you?" he whispered.

"I'm fine, dear," Hogwarts replied in her gentle voice of an old lady. "Let me give you some magic first," she added.

An instant later, Harry noticed that he felt considerably better. "Thank you so much, Hogwarts. This really helps a lot," he said, gratefully.

"You're welcome my boy," the castle replied, kindly. "Now I believe that I should leave you to your ghost to consider what you should do best."

"My ghost?" Harry replied, alert, glancing around the room in shock.

"Yes dear, he has been lurking around your parents' quarters for a while now, because he didn't exactly remember when you were going to arrive," Hogwarts informed him, chuckling. "He'll be the best to help you with your task. Don't let the headmaster of this time see you by the way. He would do anything possible to keep you here in this time."

"Hogwarts?" Harry remembered to ask, when he was just about to pull his hand off the wall, "Would it be all right if I went into Helga's and Slytherin's quarters, or is anyone living there?"

"Of course you may," Hogwarts replied immediately. "No one has been living there for a few centuries."

_'I'm here in the future as a ghost?'_ Harry thought in confusion. On the one hand, he found the idea interesting, however, on the other hand, it was unsettling to know that if he returned to the future to attend Hogwarts in this time, he'd already be dead right after finishing Hogwarts. _'Oh well, I'll just ask him what happened,'_ he resolved and went to the adjacent rooms of Helga and her husband to search for the ghost.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Harry found the ghost in the living room, where he was talking animatedly to Helga and Salazar in a painting of the two founders.<p>

"Hello," he spoke up, shyly.

"Harry," the ghost replied in a friendly voice, as he turned around to view his younger self.

Somehow, Harry found that the ghost resembled himself, as far as he had seen himself in a mirror in the bathroom in Hufflepuff house. However, there was not so much difference between this ghost and the ghost of Merlin whom he had seen once that he could be sure that it was his ghost.

"Are you really me?" Harry queried, causing the ghost as well as their many times great grand parents in the portrait to laugh.

"Yes, I'm you," the ghost replied, smirking.

"But why... how..." Harry stammered, not sure how to voice his question.

"Ahh that's up to you to find out over time," Ghost Harry said, pleasantly. "Anyway, I was waiting for you in order to give you some advice," he continued in a more business-like voice. "First of all, I suggest that you travel back exactly five years into the past." Seeing the boy stare at him in disbelief, he explained, "Whilst Professor Pomfrey would probably be able to help you with your task, she is not at Hogwarts over the holidays. Only Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, O'Neill and Snape usually reside at Hogwarts during the holidays, and Snape is the only one who can help you."

"Snape," Harry repeated, giving his ghost a questioning look.

"Yes," the ghost confirmed, "however, Snape is an absolute git, and he despises you, because you look like your birth father, even if you've never met him. Anyway, if you go back to the summer in 1993, there is something that you could offer Snape in return. Believe me, it'll make him much more forthcoming. Everything else is for you to find out."

While Harry remained quiet, trying to understand the ghost's reasoning, the ghost instructed him, "Since the headmaster mustn't see you, when you arrive in that time, call Misty, Professor Pomfrey's elf. She'll pop you right in front of Snape's office and back again, so that you don't have to walk through the corridors. Good luck, little one." With that he turned back to the portrait of his ancestors.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Like in a daze, Harry returned to his room. _'I don't like my ghost very much,'_ he thought. _'He could have told me more about what's going to happen to me.'_ Sighing, he wished himself exactly five years into the past.

Confirming that it was the right year, he called Misty.

An instant later, a house-elf popped up in front of him, giving him a questioning look.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Misty, but I need to speak with Professor Snape, and the headmaster mustn't see me," Harry explained, hesitantly.

"No problem, Master Harry, Misty will takes you to Professor Snape's office," the elf replied, smiling. She took Harry's hand and simply popped both of them away.

Harry found himself in a dungeon corridor, standing next to the elf. "Call Misty again, when you need me to take you back," the elf instructed him and vanished from the spot.

_'All right then,'_ Harry thought, trying to gather his courage, before he cautiously knocked at the door.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It took about two minutes, before the Potions Master flung the door open, only to stare at him in apparent surprise.

"Potter?" the man queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Professor," Harry apologized. "Yes, I'm Harry Potter. I need to speak with you, sir."

The professor motioned him to follow him into his office, wearing an indifferent expression that Harry knew all too well from Salazar. _'He must be related to Salazar as well,'_ he thought. _'They look very much alike.'_

"Mr. Potter," Snape spoke up, while he invited Harry to a seat behind his desk. "Everyone expected you to make an appearance at Hogwarts almost two years ago. However, there was no sign of you, only mere rumours."

Harry inwardly groaned. "I'm sorry, sir," he finally spoke up and explained shortly how he had wished himself to the Sorting but ended up in the wrong time. "I only came back here into the future today in order to speak with you, sir. I have a message for you from Professor Slytherin." He pulled the parchment out of his robe pocket and handed it to the Potions Master.

Snape took several minutes to meticulously study the parchment, before he returned it to Harry and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, but I don't believe you."

Harry stared at the older wizard in shock, before he replied, "Professor, I'm only a first-year and have known that I'm a wizard for six months. What would I be able to do to fool a professor, and why in the world would I want to do that?" He then explained about the unicorn measles and how he had bought potions but wasn't sure if they needed more. "Therefore, we need the ingredients, and we need them as plants, so that they'll be available in that time."

"Oh right, I saw you buy potions for the unicorn measles," Snape recalled, pensively. He took his wand and cast a spell at the signature of Salazar Slytherin. "Seems to be authentic," he mumbled, more to himself than to the boy who stared at him in expectation.

"Do I understand this correctly?" he finally addressed Harry. "You have taken most of this time's Potions books one thousand years into the past, so that Salazar Slytherin can invent all these potions? What about the people who really invented them over the last few centuries? Several Potions Masters received the Order of Merlin for their potions," he said in an upset voice.

Harry sighed. "Professor, Slytherin wants the recipes and ingredients to cure people not to publish them as his own inventions," he said in a firm voice. "He has already invented lots of potions, but I don't think that he publishes them, especially as he seems to write the most important parts in Parselscript."

Both wizards remained thoughtful for an instant, before Harry spoke up again, remembering the advice that he had received from his ghost. "Maybe there are even potions, which have been lost over the time. If there's anything that you really need and don't have in this time, I could ask Professor Slytherin if he has a recipe for it."

Snape looked up in apparent surprise. "Thank you Mr. Potter," he then replied. "I appreciate your offer. However, we have remedies for most illnesses. The only potion that would be interesting, and for which Potions Masters have done excessive research over centuries, would be a cure for Lycanthropy, but I suppose that Professor Slytherin doesn't have one either. Otherwise, it would have surely made it into our time."

"Excuse me sir, but what is Lycanthropy?" Harry asked, timidly.

"Have you ever heard of werewolves?" Snape queried, giving the boy a sharp look.

"No sir," Harry replied, shaking his head. "I can ask Professor Slytherin about it though. If he has a potion for it, I'll bring you the recipe, probably later today or tomorrow."

"Before the beginning of the next school year would be highly appreciated," the professor agreed.

The two wizards remained in the Potions Master's office and spoke about time travel and potions ingredients in general, before Snape motioned the boy to accompany him to his personal herb garden, which was situated on the roof of Hogwarts.

"Excuse me sir, but how are we going to get there?" Harry asked, alarmed, when the professor opened the door that led out into the dungeon corridor.

"We can access the roof from half-way up the Astronomy tower," Snape replied, indifferently, causing Harry to stop dead in his tracks.

"Professor, first of all, I shouldn't walk through the halls, because no one but you must see me," he informed the man, "and secondly, I could make a shortcut for you right from your office or some place in the dungeons to your herb garden."

While the professor wondered if the boy was mad or just an attention seeking brat like his father had been, Harry considered the matter and laid his hand against the wall. "Hogwarts," he said in a small voice, "I wish to make a shortcut from here to the herb garden on the roof. Will you please help me?"

"Of course Harry, be careful to not use too much magic," the castle replied in her gentle voice, causing Snape to stare at the boy in disbelief.

"All right sir, where would you like the passage to start?" Harry queried and, seeing that the man still did not seem convinced, asked, "Is there a passage from the back of your office right into the Slytherin common room?"

"Yes," Snape responded, seemingly astonished.

Harry smiled. "I made that," he informed the man, "together with Helga Hufflepuff's sister."

"All right," the Potions Master said and finally made up his mind. "I'd like the passage to begin right in my private lab," he decided and led the boy into his most private room.

"This will take about half an hour if Hogwarts helps me," Harry informed him and, under the professor's watchful eyes, pulled his wand, casting the spell that he had already cast so often since the beginning of the school year.

A little more than thirty minutes later, the passage was finished, and the two wizards accessed the herb garden, where Snape gathered one of each of the plants on Harry's list. "Thank Merlin that I have at least three of each plant," he said, smirking, as he magically added name plates to each of the plants in his meticulous handwriting. Finally, he cast a refreshment spell at the plants that would keep them fresh for at least twenty-four hours.

Back in the Potions Master's quarters, Harry thanked the older wizard profusely, causing a small smile to appear on the man's face.

"You're welcome, Mr. Potter. Thank you for the shortcut and give my regards to Professor Slytherin. I hope to see you again some time," Snape replied in a relatively friendly voice.

_'I should really learn to become a phoenix Animagus, so that I can simply flash through Hogwarts,'_ Harry mused as he used a shortcut from the dungeons to the corridor, where the hospital wing was situated, wondering why he had not thought of that earlier. _'No need to call a house-elf for a minute's walk back to my room,'_ he thought.

He spoke to Hogwarts for a few minutes, thanked her for her help and received a dose of magic from the castle, before he travelled back to the past, where he arrived in the evening of the day on which he had left.

He exchanged his clothes with those of the past and stretched out on his bed to rest for a few minutes, when Ceridwen stormed into his room, followed by Professors Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.

"Harry, are you all right? Did you get the ingredients?" Ceridwen asked, sounding very excited.

"I got all the plants, what's wrong?" Harry asked back, surprised at his friend's obvious excitement.

"It seems that we have or are soon going to have a mass outbreak of the unicorn measles," Rowena was the first to reply. "Several students fell ill by now, and Salazar believes that he caught it as well. He is already preparing ingredients in order to brew many batches of the potion and the preventive potion as long as he's able to do so."

"Apparently, the disease is much more contagious than Helga thought it was," Ceridwen added. "If you have the ingredients, give them to me, so I can go and help Sal prepare them."

"I'll assist," Harry decided and handed her the shrunken bunch of plants that he had brought from the future.

"No Harry, you're going to get some rest first," Rowena said, resolutely.

However, Harry shook his head. "No Professor. I'm sorry, but helping to finish the potions is of the highest priority now. I don't want anyone to die just because I slept instead of helping." With that he hurried out of the room behind Ceridwen.

"You already did enough dear," she said in a soft voice, before they entered the Potions Master's lab.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry noticed, horrified, that the Potions Master's face and arms was full of small, red pustules. _'He caught it already,'_ he thought, feeling very much reassured when Slytherin immediately instructed both of them what to do.

During the next few hours, the three brewers were very busy brewing many batches of the requested potion as well as of the preventive potion, although Slytherin mumbled something that sounded like "Too late anyway."

At three o'clock in the morning, the headmaster entered the lab and sent the children to bed, before he took his vehemently protesting colleague to the hospital room.

"When you come back in the morning, brew a batch of the fever reducer from page 17 of the book on the desk and put the plants somewhere, where they can grow," Slytherin instructed Ceridwen and Harry.

"Don't worry, we'll do so," Ceridwen promised. "Get well soon, Sal."

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the morning, Harry told Ceridwen about the herb garden on the roof and suggested to build it right away for their new plants. Ceridwen agreed, and the two friends made the herb garden on the roof, just like it had been in the future. They also added a shortcut from Salazar's personal lab to the garden.

"I hope Sal will like it," Ceridwen said, when they stood on the roof and looked over the garden and the freshly planted herbs.

"Of course he will," Harry replied, recalling that Snape had seemed quite fond of his garden. "I just hope that we'll be able to properly care for the plants. I don't know much about it," he added, thinking of Petunia's old garden book that he had read often enough to know it by heart.

"That's not a problem," Ceridwen countered. "We'll just ask the house-elves, and they can show us how to maintain the garden."

_'When I go to the future the next time, I'll buy some books about plants and study them,'_ Harry resolved, deciding to keep quiet about the matter for the time being.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following two weeks, many students as well as Helga and Salazar were ill and classes were cancelled. For Harry and Ceridwen, the preventive potion had been ready early enough, and they spent the two weeks brewing more batches for the sick students and also tried out some other potions that Ceridwen found in one of Harry's books.

"Helga will be delighted to have these," she told Harry, when they finished a huge batch of the potion for the wizard's flu.

Even when classes resumed, Ceridwen and Harry continued spending most of their free time in the Potions Master's lab. They had neither asked the professor for his permission, nor had the older wizard requested their help. However, it became a routine for the three to brew potions from Harry's books together every evening after dinner.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day, Slytherin stared at the book in front of him in disbelief. "The Wolfsbane potion," he read aloud, "helps the werewolf keep his mind during the night of the full moon." Seeing Ceridwen and Harry stare at him in confusion, he ranted, "Why would someone want a werewolf to keep his mind instead of simply curing him?"

"Is there are cure for Lycanthropy?" Harry spoke up with interest. He had not forgotten his promise to Professor Snape, however, when he had returned from the future, Salazar had been ill and his own magical level had been too low to travel again so soon anyway.

"Of course, the wolvescure potion," the professor replied, matter-of-factly.

"Professor Snape needs the recipe," Harry informed him and told Slytherin about his conversation with the future Potions Master.

"I shall give you the recipe to take to the future," the Potions Master promised, "however, you should wait until the summer holidays before time travelling again."

Harry immediately agreed, knowing that it didn't matter when he travelled, the only important point was to arrive at the time that he had promised the future's Potions Master.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In spite of the fact that he had missed many classes right from the beginning of the school year onwards, Harry did not have problems with any of the subjects. He did not overly like sword fighting, however, the headmaster had given him some extra lessons, so that he could catch up with his classmates.

His favourite class, however, was Potions. Ever since Harry had brought the books and plants from the future, Ceridwen had made him attend the class, and neither Harry nor the professor had lost a word about it.

Harry was also very fond of the roof garden, and he spent at least twenty minutes each day caring for the plants like one of the house-elves had instructed him.

The rest of the school year passed in a blur, and in Harry's opinion it was all of a sudden that Ceridwen told him, "This week, we can't spend the evenings in the lab. We have to study for the end of year tests. They're going to take place next week."

_'That was fast,'_ Harry thought. _'I can't believe that I've already finished my first Hogwarts year.'_

The two friends spent the whole week in the common room, studying together with their classmates, who were enthusiastic that the two friends did not vanish in the evenings like they had done during the last couple of months.

To Harry's relief, he found the tests relatively easy and was sure that he had passed them all. _'Maybe except for Latin,'_ he thought, unable to find any interest in the language.

ホグワーツへの組分け

On the day when his classmates were picked up by their parents, Ceridwen accompanied Helga to Hogsmeade for some reason. Harry remained sitting on his favourite spot next to the lake for a long time, thinking about Hogwarts in this time, in the future, the Dursleys and his future ghost.

When Ceridwen and Helga returned, the girl immediately headed over to him, seemingly in a good mood.

"Hi," Harry said, smiling.

"The baby was so cute," Ceridwen blurted out and explained that, although her mother was the healer in Hogsmeade, Helga had been asked by a good friend to come and deliver her baby. "And she allowed me to assist," she said, sounding very proud, before she smiled upon thinking how cute the little girl had been. "Why are you still sitting here by the way?" she suddenly asked, her voice laced with concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Of course," Harry replied, calmingly. "I was just thinking about everything," he admitted and for the first time told her about the ghost, whom he had met in the future.

"You met your own ghost?" Ceridwen asked, incredulously. "How weird is that? Was he old or...?" She trailed off, giving Harry a sharp look.

"I don't know," Harry replied, shrugging. "He sounded older than me, yes, but if it was five years or five hundred I don't know."

Ceridwen chuckled. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll see to it that you'll stay in my time, so the ghost will be at least eight hundred years old when you meet him again."

"In fact, I'd like to stay in this time," Harry said, thoughtfully. "I like it here, I have a family, I have friends, and I've already finished my first Hogwarts year. Why would I go back to the future - apart from small errands like fetching ingredients or such?"

"Then don't even think about it anymore," Ceridwen said, pleasantly. "Now come on, let's go to the Great Hall and get some lunch. I'm famished."

ホグワーツへの組分け

If Harry had assumed that two months of lazy holidays were lying in front of him, he was sadly mistaken. All four professors had apparently decided to teach their two wards as much as possible during the class free time.

While Salazar allowed them to assist in the lab as usual, he also insisted to teach them Occlumency. Godric decided that they should both study the Animagus transformation, Helga taught them what she knew about herbs and other plants that could be used for potions ingredients and healing, and Rowena made them practise complicated charms and spells that were not included in the usual lesson plans.

All of the classes were interesting, and Harry did not regret as much as once that the founders were teaching them even during the holidays. The only thing to which he just couldn't get used was Occlumency. The professor always managed to view his worst memories with the Dursleys, and Harry was just unable to occlude his mind and keep the teacher out.

"You have to get a grip on yourself, boy," the Potions Master growled at him on a daily basis.

By now, however, Harry had become used to Slytherin's moods and knew that the teacher would turn to his usual - friendlier - self as soon as they entered the potions lab.

However, as the holidays passed, with lessons with the professors on a daily basis, Harry slowly became restless. "I need to go to the future, but when am I supposed to do that?" he asked Ceridwen one day. "I know I could go any time during the weekend, but when I come back, I probably won't be able to do magic for a week or two, and I don't think the teachers will be happy if I miss the classes they arranged just for the two of us."

Ceridwen chuckled. "I'd be happy to have just some free time together with you," she replied, smiling at the boy. "Let's ask Sal at dinner time. He knows that you've made that deal with Professor Snape."

To his relief, he did not even have to do anything about it, as Ceridwen decided to take the matter into her own hands. At dinner time, she asked the Potions Master when Harry would be allowed to travel.

"Considering that you're an absolute dunderhead at Occlumency, you won't miss anything whenever you go," Salazar replied, grumpily.

"Yes sir," Harry replied in a small voice and decided to leave right in the morning.

"Considering what Snape did for us," the Potions Master continued speaking, "I suggest that you show him to my private lab. Of course I don't know what's going to happen with it in the future, but I suppose that Hogwarts will see to it that it remains unharmed. Maybe it'll be of some use to him."

"That's a brilliant idea, sir. I will show it to him then," Harry replied in understanding.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the morning, Harry quickly said good bye to Ceridwen and the professors at breakfast, promising to try to be back before lunchtime at the latest, and headed to his room, wishing himself to the morning of the second of August, 1993. He swiftly left his room, heading to the shortcut that led to the dungeons. However, just when he passed in front of the doors that had led to the hospital room, even in the past, he heard the door open. A mere instant later, a strict voice addressed him from behind.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry turned around in shock, while the thought _'At least it's a female voice. It can't be the headmaster'_ crossed his mind. He gave the old lady who was now standing in front of him an apologetic look and said, "I'm sorry for intruding during the summer holidays. However, I have an appointment with Professor Snape."

The old lady, who was dressed in completely white robes, stared at him in apparent surprise for a moment, before she greeted him. "Mr. Potter! I feel honoured to meet you. Why don't you come to my office to have some tea with me and my colleague Minerva? I know that she would be thrilled to meet you as well, and there's something that I'd like to speak with you about."

Harry stared at the old woman in confusion. _'Honoured to meet me?'_ he wondered. _'And why would she want to speak with me?' _He cleared his throat and replied, "I'm sorry, but I was told that the headmaster mustn't see me."

The woman chuckled, before she reassured him, "That's not a problem my boy. Professor Dumbledore has taken ill with the Grindylow pox this morning, and I've instructed him to remain in his quarters." With that she opened the door next to her and led Harry into the hospital room.

_'It's not just a room anymore like in our time. It's a complete hospital wing,'_ Harry realised, taking in the size of the hospital wing in surprise. When he followed the healer into her office, he could even see a flight of single rooms behind the office.

The healer motioned Harry to take a seat, before she leaned into the fireplace and spoke with someone. "Minerva," she said in apparent excitement. "I have Harry Potter here. No, not his ghost, but his real form. He's still very young though."

"I'll come over," Harry heard another voice reply, and the healer pulled away from the fireplace.

_'I just hope this isn't a trap,'_ Harry thought, worriedly, before he realised, _'Oh well, I just have to wish me back into the past, and I'd be in Helga's office.'_

He observed in bewilderment how another old woman stepped out of the fireplace.

"Now that's a surprise. Good morning Mr. Potter," she greeted him, before she introduced herself. "I am Minerva McGonagall."

"Oh no, I'm sorry," the other woman suddenly threw in. "I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Poppy Pomfrey. You must know, I know your ghost and your portrait so well that it slipped my mind that you don't even know me."

"My portrait?" Harry queried in disbelief, looking from one woman to the other.

"Yes my boy, there's a portrait of you in the common room, and you often visit Helga in her portrait here," Pomfrey replied in a gentle voice, pointing to the portrait of Helga that was overseeing her office and the hospital wing.

"Hi Helga," Harry said to the portrait, causing the much older version of the Helga whom he knew to cast him a loving smile.

"So that means that I'm not going to come to this time to study but remain in the past," Harry thought aloud. "Is that correct?"

The two professors exchanged a glance, before McGonagall replied in a firm voice. "I'm sorry Harry, but we're not going to tell you what happens, as we don't want to influence you and your decisions. However, we're both very proud of you. We both knew you well when you were a baby, and we're very happy that everything developed so well for you and you made the right decisions."

Apparently realising that Harry was not pleased by her words, she added, "I'm sorry my boy, but that's all that we can tell you right now."

Harry's thoughts went haywire. _'A portrait in the common room?'_ he wondered. _'Oh well, in my time, there aren't any portraits anywhere. Maybe they'll need Ceridwen's and my portrait in Hufflepuff, because Helga's is here,'_ he thought in confusion.

He was brought back to reality, when Pomfrey addressed him again. "There's one thing that I'd like to ask for if that's possible. In fact, Professor Snape yesterday told me about the shortcut that you made for him. He was over the moon with joy, although he really is not someone who easily expresses his emotions. Anyway, hearing that, I thought that you might be able to help with our small problem."

Harry looked at the professor in expectation, when the door to the hospital wing was suddenly opened and he heard footsteps come nearer.

"Albus!" McGonagall gasped.

Harry eyed her in suspicion, wondering if that was the headmaster. However, he knew better than to turn around, fearing that the man might recognise him.

"Oh, you have a visitor," the headmaster said, pleasantly. "Ah Poppy, just so you know, I need to go to Hogsmeade to buy some more lemon drops. Peeves and Potter saw fit to hide all my lemon drops."

"Albus!" the healer replied in an extremely angry voice that made the footsteps stop instantly. "Yes, we have a visitor, and you're contagious. You won't go anywhere but back to your rooms. Send Fawkes to buy the lemon drops for you. And now out!"

"Yes Poppy," the headmaster replied, sounding defeated, and took his leave.

"Thank Merlin," Harry sighed, when he heard the door close. "Was that the headmaster?"

"Yes, that was the headmaster," Pomfrey replied, grimly. "Peeves and your ghost seem to have played a prank on him. Oh well, he really should stop eating so many lemon drops. What I was going to ask is the following," she continued. "In my house, the seventh year dormitories can be turned into multi-purpose rooms, and we have the problem that younger students change the room and then the older students don't have anywhere to lie down when they want to sleep, for example after studying until late at night the previous day."

Harry listened in confusion. _'Multi-purpose rooms? We didn't make such things,'_ he thought.

"Anyway, since I heard that you made the dormitories, even if probably not yet in your time, I'd like to ask if you could perhaps add an eighth dormitory, respectively just a room that can be used as a multi-purpose room like the current seventh years' dormitories. They should be simple dormitories instead."

"All right, Professor," Harry replied, hesitantly. "In fact, I'm not sure about this, because so far, we only made just normal dormitories. But I will speak with the professors and make sure that we add an eighth room on each side and try to make it a multi-purpose room." _'Maybe the professors know how to do this,'_ he added to himself.

"If possible, I'd like to have these rooms added to Gryffindor as well," McGonagall spoke up, smiling. "It would be good for all houses I suppose."

"I don't know if Professor Slytherin will allow me to add such rooms to Slytherin, but I'll try," Harry promised. He inwardly sighed. In fact, he had many questions, but it didn't seem as if the older ladies were going to reveal anything about his own future to him. _'Just like my ghost,'_ he thought, feeling very annoyed.

He finished his tea and excused himself in order to visit Professor Snape.

The two ladies hugged him and made him promise to come to see them if he ever returned to the future again, before they finally let him go. _'They seem to be quite fond of me,'_ he thought. _'I wonder why. They shouldn't know me well if I didn't come to attend school here in this time.'_

He sighed in relief, when he walked through the shortcut, wondering if the people in this time knew all the shortcuts that Ceridwen, Salazar and he had made during the last year.

ホグワーツへの組分け

This time, the Potions Master called him in immediately. "Mr. Potter," he acknowledged his presence and motioned him to take a seat.

Harry accepted the invitation, before he handed over the recipe for the wolvescure potion. "In my time, there are only a few werewolves, because Salazar has cured most of them with this potion," he explained, before he pulled a bundle of shrunken plants out of his robe pocket. "These are the ingredients," he added on the Potions Master's questioning look. "We didn't know what you have in your time and what not, so I brought them all for your garden."

"Yes, there are three that are missing in this time," Snape said upon skimming the recipe.

"Salazar told me that he doesn't mind if you publish the recipe under your name," Harry informed the older wizard. "He's very grateful that you gave us the plants the other day, as they saved his and many others' lives."

Snape smirked. "In my time, it was only yesterday," he said, before he chose the three plants, which he needed. "I'll put these into my garden," he decided. "The others we'll take to the greenhouses, where our Herbology professor can care about them."

"Greenhouses?" Harry asked with interest. "Is that where they grow plants in this time?" Seeing Snape nod in confirmation, he asked, "Would you mind showing these to me, please? Since no one at Hogwarts in my time knows anything about plants, except for Helga Hufflepuff and the elves and Helga is always busy, I usually have to care for the plants, and I'm very interested to get to know more. I also intend to make a trip to Diagon Alley to buy some Herbology books."

Snape nodded in understanding. "Very well, I shall show you the greenhouses. Professor O'Neill might be there, but she won't give you out to the headmaster, who is ill at the moment anyway."

Harry profusely thanked the professor and informed him of Salazar's suggestion to show him his potions lab. He noticed how a small smile began to play on the professor's lips, when the man replied positively.

Harry led the professor through his own room and the connecting door to Helga's and Salazar's quarters into the ancient Potions Master's private lab, speaking the password to his room aloud as they went. Seeing that Snape seemed absolutely fascinated by Salazar's workroom, he said, "Feel free to come back here at any time. Just please don't bring anyone else here."

Snape cast him a piercing look. "Thank you very much, Mr. Potter. I appreciate it greatly, and I'll certainly come back. This is an amazing potions lab."

Harry smiled and hurried to keep up with the professor's fast pace, when they headed out onto the grounds and to the greenhouses. He looked at the houses that were mostly made of glass with interest, wondering if he would be able to build such a house in the past. Deep in thoughts, he entered the first greenhouse behind the professor.

"Mr. Potter, this is Professor O'Neill, Annette, this is Mr. Potter," the Potions Master introduced Harry to his colleague.

Harry looked up and greeted the professor, who smiled back and seemed as enthusiastic to meet him like Professors McGonagall and Pomfrey had been.

_'She somehow resembles someone,'_ Harry thought. _'It's as if I had met her before, but that isn't possible.' _


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Harry was brought back to reality, when the Potions Master took his leave, advising him to come back a year later to see if either of them had any new inventions that they could share with each other.<p>

Harry agreed and gladly followed Professor O'Neill when she offered to show him the greenhouses. _'I know whom she resembles,'_ he suddenly thought. _'She has Ceridwen's smile but green eyes like Rowena. Maybe a descendant of one of them.'_

Harry was able to ask many questions about the greenhouses and the plants inside, keeping the idea in mind to possibly build a greenhouse when he was back in his time. _'They even have a classroom here in the greenhouses,'_ he thought in surprise. The professor kindly answered everything concerning the plants. However, just like her older colleagues, she was not willing to tell Harry anything about his ghost.

"Just let me tell you that he's amazing," O'Neill said, grinning.

Finally, the professor pointed out that it was lunchtime and invited him to accompany her to the Great Hall for the meal. However, even knowing that the headmaster wouldn't be there, Harry took his leave. _'I can't stand more people fuss over me, especially without knowing why,'_ he thought. _'Apart from that, I want to have enough time at Diagon Alley, before the shops close in the evening.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

After once again closely inspecting the greenhouses as he left, Harry whished himself right to a small side street behind Flourish and Blotts. Knowing that the headmaster would definitely not be at Diagon Alley and everyone else who might know him was at Hogwarts, Harry felt very much relieved and relaxed, when he entered the bookshop. He spent some time skimming the Potions shelf for any books that he might have overseen the last time, gathering one book _'Prank Potions for the Experienced Brewer'_ with the intention to give it to Salazar. Afterwards, he bought one book each from the Charms, Transfiguration and Healing section for the other three professors, before he headed to the shelf for architecture and gathered a few books about the magical way to construct buildings. At least in one of them, he had seen a picture of a greenhouse and thought that the book might be useful for his purpose. Finally, he made his way to the Herbology section.

_'Interesting that they even have Herbology as a subject at Hogwarts,'_ he thought. He grabbed the seven school books as well as some other books that seemed interesting. _'I could also take a look at a Muggle bookshop to buy some books about plants,'_ he thought, however, decided to leave this plan for the next opportunity.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Suddenly, a girl who seemed to be of about his age stepped next to him and feverishly searched the shelf for something. Finally, she turned to him. "Excuse me, do you perhaps know..."

When Harry turned to the girl in surprise, she interrupted herself and blurted out, "Harry Potter! Are you really Harry Potter? I'm sorry, but you look so much like him."

Inwardly groaning, Harry smiled at the excited girl. "I am Harry Potter. Is something wrong with it?"

"Oh no," the girl replied, eagerly. "I'm just very happy to see you. I'm Hermione Granger by the way."

"Hello Hermione," Harry said, somehow feeling amused at the girl's apparent excitement. "Please tell me one thing. Why are you happy to see me, although we've never met before?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow at the girl.

Hermione cast him an incredulous look. "Everyone knows Harry Potter," she stated, matter-of-factly. "You're the boy who lived. Apart from that, I know your ghost. In fact, he's my best friend."

"So my ghost is already around in this time," Harry said, thoughtfully. "That probably means that I'm not going to return to this time to study here but remain in the past."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, he's been around ever since my Sorting. He and your life size portrait in the common room as well. Everyone knows and adores you," she informed him, unable to hide that she was blushing as she spoke. She suddenly placed the pile of books that she was carrying around on the windowsill and opened her book bag. "Excuse me Harry, but would you perhaps be willing to give me an autograph?"

Harry stared at the book in disbelief. _'Harry Potter: Hogwarts: A History'_ was the title. Underneath the title, it said _'Self Updating Version'_.

In absolute confusion, he accepted the quill that the girl was handing him and placed his signature under the title on the page she had opened for him.

"Thank you so very much," Hermione said, cheerily.

"You know," Harry said, thoughtfully, more to himself than to the girl, although he somehow had the impression as if anyone would understand him - apart from Ceridwen - it would be her. "It's totally confusing here in the future. Everyone seems to know me, but no one is willing to tell me anything about my future. The book that you just showed me, I own a copy of these that I bought here before my first Hogwarts year, but it doesn't show my name as author. But when I have actually written that book, I must have done it here in the future, not in the past, although you told me that I'm already around in my ghost form. This is totally confusing."

"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione replied, compassionately. "I understand that it must be unsettling. On the other hand, I believe that you achieved everything you did without help of anyone here in this time. Just wait and see how everything develops without listening to people," she advised him in a soft voice.

"Please allow me one question," Harry asked, pensively. "Is my portrait in the Hufflepuff common room? You don't seem very Hufflepuff-ish to me. And is Ceridwen in the portrait together with me?"

Hermione chuckled. "No, it's not Hufflepuff, but I don't think I should tell you more about it. Ceridwen's portrait is guarding the door to our head of house's office," she explained, patiently.

Suddenly feeling hungry, Harry invited Hermione for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, and the two thirteen-year-olds spoke about Hogwarts, classes in the past and in the future and everything that came into their mind. Harry especially questioned Hermione about her Herbology classes, while the girl mostly asked about the subjects that they did not have in the future like sword fighting or unicorn riding. Finally, Hermione had to go and meet her parents.

"Harry, I'll come to Diagon Alley again on let's say the first of August next year. Maybe we can meet again at Flourish and Blotts if you manage to come at that day," Hermione suggested, causing Harry to make a mental note to return to the future again for that day.

"If I can come, I will, and maybe I'll do it like today that I spend the morning at Hogwarts and the afternoon at Diagon Alley," he promised, having the impression as if he had found a good friend, even if she was living in a different time.

Together, they left the Leaky Cauldron, and Harry went for a stroll through Diagon Alley, looking at the shops with interest. He bought a necklace for Ceridwen that matched the friendship ring, which he had purchased the last time, with the intention to give it to her for Christmas. He also chose some colour changing quills for his housemates for the same purpose. Collecting several small items from various shops that could be useful to have in the past, he finally returned to his own room at Hogwarts.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Back in the past, he realised that - as usual - Ceridwen was waiting for him. She was sitting at his desk reading a book, which she closed and placed on the desk as soon as he came into view.

"Thank Merlin you're back," she said, smiling. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yes, it was interesting, but very confusing," Harry admitted and told her everything about his day in the future.

"This is so strange," Ceridwen said, thoughtfully. "Maybe you shouldn't go there anymore."

"I love it though. You know, I'm now living in this time, and I fully intend to remain here," Harry replied, "however, everything in the future is so different and it's really interesting."

Ceridwen listened, patiently, before she asked, "Are you going to come to the Great Hall for dinner, or are you too tired?"

"Of course I'll come with you," Harry replied, eagerly. "I want to give the teachers their books, and I can't wait to talk to them about greenhouses."

_'After dinner I'll go and get some sleep though,'_ he thought, when he followed Ceridwen through the empty halls, yawning.

However, just when he said good night to everyone, the Potions Master sent him a glare and bellowed, "Hufflepuff and Potter, follow me."

_'Oh Merlin, what have we done now?'_ Harry wondered, feeling thoroughly annoyed by the professor's attitude.

When they reached the professor's lab, he laid the book that he had received from Harry on the table and announced, "Herewith I declare a prank war between us and my colleagues. Unfortunately, I forgot to inform the headmaster, but I hope that he'll be on our side. Now help me choose which potion to brew first."

Ceridwen and Harry exchanged an exasperated glance, before the three began to eagerly skim the book.

It was after midnight, when Harry finally returned to his room.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Harry woke up in the morning, glad that he had set the alarm clock, which he had brought from the future two years ago, he felt very excited. _'I need to speak with the professors about the greenhouse,'_ he thought. _'I should speak with them right away, before the prank potion takes effect. Too bad that Godric entertained everyone with his stories the whole time during dinner, even if it was funny.'_

He was just about to leave his room, when Ceridwen knocked at his door. "Come on Harry, you don't want to miss breakfast," she said, cheerily.

When they arrived at the Great Hall, Helga waved her wand over him and informed him in a no-nonsense voice that he wasn't allowed to do any magic until she'd tell him otherwise.

Harry let out a long sigh. _'I feel fine though,'_ he thought in annoyance. _'So much about trying to build a greenhouse.'_

_'You need to study your books beforehand anyway,'_ the small, most annoying voice from the back of his head spoke up. _'Plus Salazar will want to brew more prank potions from the book, and he'll expect you to assist.'_

Quietly, Harry followed the sisters' example and took his seat, noticing that everyone but Salazar was already gathered.

"In the future," he hesitantly spoke up, causing everyone's attention to be directed to him, "they have greenhouses to grow the plants in, and they even have Herbology as a subject at Hogwarts."

"And why exactly are they growing the plants in a greenhouse, whatever that is, and not in the garden, which you made on the roof?" Salazar queried, grumpily, as he took his seat at the table.

Harry shrugged, questioningly looking at Helga.

"What exactly is a greenhouse, Harry?" Rowena enquired in a friendly voice.

Harry described what he had seen in the future as well as he could, causing Salazar to sigh.

"Ahh, I suppose that it's meant to keep the plants warm and comfortable, especially during the winter months," the Potions Master explained.

"I think so too," Helga added. "The glass will allow the sun to get through but not the cold. It sounds fairly reasonable."

Their colleagues agreed, just an instant before breakfast popped up on the table. Since the adults were still discussing the greenhouse and the possible option of trying to build one, several minutes passed, before the female professors finally took a sip from their tea.

The three brewers and the headmaster observed in amusement how Helga's and Rowena's heads but only the heads, changed into those of babies, their clothes were transfigured into large jumpsuits like they were known in the future, with colourful bibs on top of them, the plates and cutlery changed into baby dishes and spoons, and the cups were replaced by feeding bottles.

"Salazar!" Rowena shouted in her high, girlish baby voice. "Reverse this immediately."

"Wait a moment," Helga spoke up in an equally babyish voice. "Let's take these off and keep them for the babies."

"Yes, let's do that," her friend agreed, glaring at the two adult wizards. "Salazar, I know exactly where you got that idea from," she said, turning her glare to Harry, who was giggling in amusement. "Wait till we get our revenge," she threatened.

Helga took off the bib and laid it aside, together with the feeding bottle. "Is that how these are in the future?" she asked Harry, who shrugged, before he nodded, thinking _'How would I know that? I didn't have a baby recently. The potion caused those to be made automatically.'_

"Excuse me," Ceridwen suddenly threw in. "The babies? Is there something that you perhaps ought to tell us?"

"Ceridwen, on which side are you?" Helga suddenly asked, glaring at her younger sister.

"Oh Helga, that glare doesn't work from your baby face," Ceridwen replied, grinning, before she repeated her earlier question.

_'Oh this is too funny,'_ Harry thought. _'I wonder what they're going to do for revenge.'_

"Oh well, we're both expecting babies," Rowena informed the children. "They're supposed to be born at the beginning of December."

"Oh, I can't wait," Ceridwen blurted out in clear excitement. "Will you allow us to babysit them?"

Harry grinned at his friend's antics, resolving to skim the shops at Diagon Alley for nice baby toys at the next opportunity. Feeling absolutely exhausted, he for once obediently followed Helga's advice to return to his room and get some sleep.

_'Maybe they're going to prank the others at lunch or dinnertime, so it won't hurt to miss the meals,'_ he thought, with a smile playing on his lips as he drifted off to sleep.

ホグワーツへの組分け

However, the ladies knew all too well whom they had to 'thank' for the morning's prank and waited with their revenge till they could get back to all three culprits together.

When Harry appeared in the Great Hall for breakfast, well rested and in a good mood, he noticed in surprise that three baboons were running around the Great Hall, while Helga and Rowena were sitting at the table, peacefully enjoying their breakfast.

_'Oh no,'_ he thought and was just about to turn on his heels and leave the Great Hall, when he felt his body to transform. All of a sudden, the floor seemed much closer than before, and he found himself standing on four legs. _'Oh no, I'm a baboon as well,'_ he realised in annoyance.

"Hi Harry," Ceridwen greeted him, grinning.

"Come on, children. Let's have some fun," Godric called out to them. "Let's thoroughly annoy them." With that the headmaster darted through the Great Hall and jumped onto the breakfast table, where he performed some kind of dance on his four legs, stepping on the plates and bowls on the table as if by accident.

Salazar immediately followed his example, while Ceridwen and Harry decided to just enjoy the commotion.

Finally, the two ladies were annoyed enough to leave the Great Hall, grinning at the animals who remained, when they firmly shut the doors behind them.

"Who's going to change us back?" Ceridwen enquired, looking at Godric in expectation.

"Nothing easier than that," the headmaster replied and transformed into a fire phoenix, from where he changed back into his human form. He pointed his wand at the others in a quick succession, making everyone transform back to their usual selves.

"Why me?" he then asked, pointing out that he hadn't even been involved in the prank potion.

"So sorry Godric," Salazar replied, grinning. "I forgot to inform you in advance. Now, let's go and choose another potion for later on," he suggested to the children.

Ceridwen nodded in excitement and replied, "Yes Sal, as soon as we've eaten our breakfast."

Staring at the mess on the table, the headmaster called a house-elf and asked for breakfast that popped up on the now clean table an instant later.

"Maybe we should be careful," Ceridwen spoke up, thoughtfully, absentmindedly putting down her spoon. "If they're both pregnant, we shouldn't use potions that make them transform completely or those that might harm the babies."

"Oh right, how boring," Salazar agreed, grinning. "Don't worry, little one, there are enough prank potions in the book that are harmless."

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the remaining week before the beginning of the new school year, the prank war continued. While Salazar and his two assistants fought with well thought potions, the two female professors got their revenge by complicated transfiguration spells, which the headmaster could not easily reverse, let alone anyone else, so that everyone just had to let the spells or potions wear off.

Only on the last day of the holidays, everyone agreed to pause the prank war for the time being.

"We can still prank all the teachers together for once," Harry whispered to Ceridwen and Gawain during the Sorting ceremony.

"Did you think of anything specific?" Ceridwen enquired, chuckling in anticipation.

"Yes," Harry replied, grinning. "I could change the head table into a flowerbed, and all the vegetables and meat or whatever grows on plants, so they have to take the food from the plants."

"That sounds great fun," Gawain agreed, immediately.

However, Ceridwen frowned. "Yes, it seems like fun, but they'll all know that it was you who did that, and believe me, Helga will be very angry, considering that you're not supposed to do magic for at least another week."

"Hmmm, that's true," Harry replied, thoughtfully. "How about I change the head table into a huge bathtub then?"

His friends agreed, chuckling, however, Harry decided to wait a day, considering that the parents of the new first-years were invited to the welcoming feast and he thought that it probably wouldn't make the best impression having a prank played on the teachers during the feast.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The students had in fact much fun with Harry's prank in contrary to the teachers, who had a hard time eating from their plates, which were floating on the water.

Unfortunately, Harry realised that it afforded a lot of magic to maintain the bathtub while dinner lasted. Only when the headmaster rose from his seat, a clear sign that dinner was over, he finally allowed the table to be transformed into its usual form. _'That was a stupid thing to do,' _he thought, not feeling overly well anymore.

"Harry, are you coming?" Ceridwen queried, causing Harry to give her a weary look.

"Yes, just give me some time please," he whispered, making her stare at him in concern.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have allowed you to do wish magic just for a prank," she said, placing a cold hand on his forehead. "Harry, you better go right to bed. I'll ask Helga to excuse you with Salazar for your homework."

"No, don't tell Helga," Harry contradicted. "I'll do my homework in the morning or just tell Salazar the truth." With that he retreated to his dormitory and crawled into bed.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Harry entered the Potions classroom during the second morning class, he realised immediately that Salazar was in a bad mood.

"I'm sorry sir, but I couldn't do my homework last night," he apologized in a quiet voice, causing the professor to bark at him.

"30 points from Hufflepuff and detention tonight with me," he growled without even looking at the boy.

"But Professor, Harry was ill last night," Ceridwen protested with the sole result that the professor took more points.

"Leave it," Harry whispered and let himself sink onto his seat. "He won't see reason if he's in such a mood."

Ceridwen merely nodded, giving Harry a compassionate look. 'Go to Helga and let her excuse you from classes and especially from your detention,' she advised her friend, telepathically.

_'Thank Merlin for the friendship rings,'_ Harry thought, before he replied, 'Maybe after Transfiguration.'

ホグワーツへの組分け

However, during the rest of the Potions class, Harry did not only have a bad headache and feel feverish but also felt very self-conscious, as the professor kept glaring at him, whenever he looked up. _'What's wrong with Salazar?'_ he wondered as he absentmindedly stirred his potion in the wrong direction, causing the bright yellow liquid to let out an angry hiss.

_'Oh no,'_ Harry thought, horrified, and pulled his wand to cast the Evanesco spell at his potion.

However, the professor beat him to it. "Potter, what do you think you're doing?" Salazar bellowed, banishing the potion from Harry's cauldron. "Detention for the rest of the week," he growled.

'Don't say anything now,' Ceridwen thought to him. 'He won't listen anyway.'

'Sorry Ceridwen,' Harry thought back and simply wished himself away to the future, only remembering that he didn't have enough magic when the world began to spin around.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Harry's mind turned back to awareness, he found himself lying in his bed in his own room at Hogwarts. _'How did I get here?'_ he wondered, staring at the calendar on the wall in confusion. _'13 November, 1995,'_ he read, horrified. _'I completely messed up the time, and it's the middle of the school year. Oh well, it doesn't really matter,'_ he thought. _'I just need some sleep, although I already feel much better. How did I come here though? The last thing I remember was that I was in the Potions classroom.'_ He pondered what could have happened and groaned as realisation set in. _'The Potions classroom is the same as in this time. I should have left the room before wishing myself to the future,' _he thought.

"Hello little one," his ghost suddenly addressed him, as he came into the room. "Are you finally awake?"

Harry cast the ghost a questioning look, before he asked, "What happened?"

"You saw fit to appear right in the Potions classroom, fortunately at least early in the morning and not during class time. Anyway, Severus found you and brought you here, before he called Poppy and made her care for you. You've been unconscious for about a week."

"Oh no," Harry groaned. "Please tell them that I'm sorry for being such a burden."

"You better tell them yourself," the ghost replied, rolling his eyes in apparent exasperation. "You should get a grip on yourself and listen to what the adults tell you for once. Be careful at Hogwarts in this time though. If the headmaster catches you, he'll happily keep you prisoner here."

"Excuse me, but why is that?" Harry enquired, staring at the ghost.

"Because of some stupid prophecy that involves Voldemort and us," the ghost explained. "Don't worry about it though. Just get well and go back to make up with Salazar. I'll go and inform Poppy that you're awake." With that, the ghost left through the open door that led into Helga's and Salazar's quarters.

_'Maybe my ghost is right. I shouldn't have come here just because Salazar was in a bad mood,'_ Harry thought. He quickly laid his hand on the wall. "Hogwarts, can you hear me?" he asked, urgently. "Can you quickly give me some magic, please?"

"Of course dear," the castle replied, gently, and an instant later, Harry felt the magic flow into his arm.

He profusely thanked the castle and pulled his hand away, just when the healer entered the room.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"You gave us quite a fright, young man," Pomfrey said, before she waved her wand over him. "Very well, you're free to get up, however, don't use magic unnecessarily for at least a week." Apparently noticing Harry's annoyed expression, she emphasized, "I'd advise you to remain in this time for a week, however, I believe that you'd probably manage to safely return to the past by tomorrow or the day after if that's what you want." With that she called her house-elf and instructed her to bring breakfast for Harry, before she excused herself, announcing that she'd come back to check on him in the evening.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry stammered, "for coming here, although I shouldn't have done so."

"That's all right dear," Pomfrey replied in a gentle voice. "You're always welcome here."

_'I'll make a trip to Diagon Alley to look for some baby toys and bottles or whatever,'_ Harry decided. Knowing that it was still very early in the morning and the shops probably wouldn't be open yet, he pondered if he should go into Helga's and Salazar's quarters to look for a book to read first.

However, as soon as he got up and took a look through the window, he saw that a group of students were out on the grounds, flying on broomsticks.

_'They fly on broomsticks?'_ he thought, incredulously. _'Ahh, maybe that was why so many young people were looking at the show window of the broom shop at Diagon Alley. It must be some kind of game that they're playing.' _He watched the team practice until the students landed on the ground and returned inside the castle. However, he still had no clue what the game was and how it was played and decided to pay the broom shop a visit and enquire about the matter. _'I could also ask Professors Pomfrey or Snape, but with the headmaster around, it's too dangerous for me to walk through the halls.'_

After pondering his situation for a few minutes, Harry decided to check Flourish and Blotts for books about magical kinds of sports. He wished himself to the spot around the bookshop, to where he had travelled before, noticing that the air was fairly cold, considering that he was only wearing his summer robes.

As soon as the shop opened, he gratefully stepped inside and skimmed the Potions, Healing and Herbology sections for anything new, before he looked for the Sports section. _'Maybe they have Sports as a subject like we had it at the primary school,'_ he thought, but he could not find any school books. However, half of the shelf was filled with books about Quidditch. _'So that must have been what the students played earlier,'_ he thought and skimmed the books, finally deciding on the two that were most interesting and described all the rules of the game.

ホグワーツへの組分け

With a shrunken pile of books in his robe pocket, Harry walked up and down Diagon Alley. Of course he knew by now where the broom shop was, however, he realised for the first time that 'Quidditch' was written over the entrance in huge letters. _'I'll go there later on. First, I need to buy some baby supplies,'_ he decided and looked for a shop selling everything needed for babies.

The shop that he was looking for was situated at the far end of Diagon Alley. He hesitantly stepped inside, letting his eyes wander around the room. A young lady dressed in pink robes came over to him right away and asked if she could help him.

"My parents are expecting a baby, and I'd like to buy some things for them," he explained, feeling very awkward.

Nevertheless, thirty minutes later, he left the shop with several kind of bottles, jumpsuits, nappies, bathing towels, toys and several other items. On the way out of the shop, something caught his eye. It was a teddy bear, and the inscription next to the teddy said that it could be customized to play music, say the baby's name, change its colour, and that several safety charms and alerts could be placed on it, which, for example, would alert the parents if the baby was awake, sick or in any kind of danger.

Harry decided to buy two of the teddies equipped with all possible charms and spells. Since he did not know the babies' names yet, the shop owner taught him how to exchange the 'Hello' that the teddy said instead with the respective name. _'I'll give the teddies to the babies, when they'll be born,'_ he thought, feeling very happy at the idea.

After a short visit to the Quidditch shop, where he bought two brooms, one for himself and one for Ceridwen, as well as one set of Quidditch supplies that consisted of the necessary balls for the game as well as a broom polishing kit, he wished himself back to Hogwarts.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Back in his own room at Hogwarts, Harry decided to do something extraordinary. _'I'll go and speak with the headmaster,'_ he resolved. _'I'll tell him about myself and my decision to live in the past. He won't be able to keep me back here against my will, since I'll always be able to just wish myself back to the past.'_

Assuming that the headmaster's office was still where it had been in the past, Harry scurried through the halls, which were deserted, as everyone was just assembled in the Great Hall for dinner. To his relief, he did not meet anyone, however, his trip found an abrupt end as he stood in front of the gargoyle that was guarding the headmaster's office and demanded to be told the correct password.

Harry laid his hand on the wall and whispered, "Hogwarts, do you by chance know the password for the headmaster's office?"

"Yes my boy, it's 'Horcruxes'," the castle informed him. "If I was you, I wouldn't go to see Professor Dumbledore though. You won't gain anything if you talk to him," she said in a soothing voice. "Since he won't be able to keep you here against your will, he'd only make you feel bad by what he'd tell you. Trust me, my boy, I know what I'm talking about."

"All right then. I trust your advice," Harry replied, sighing, and swiftly returned to his room.

_'Dumbledore must be horrible, if even Hogwarts says such a thing about her current headmaster,'_ he thought, when he was back in his room, resolving to ask Professor Pomfrey how and when he could safely meet Professor Snape. While he was waiting for the healer to visit him like she had promised in the morning, his thoughts revolved around the headmaster, and Harry could not help developing a great disliking for the old wizard. _'I'm going to get my revenge on him,'_ he decided and made a plan that was very uncharacteristic for the usually nice boy. _'I better pull through with it right away, before I change my mind,'_ he decided. _'Oh well, I can still do it after talking with Pomfrey and Snape,'_ he corrected himself, when Pomfrey chose that instant to enter his room.

"What did you do today?" she asked, incredulously, as she let her wand sink.

"Nothing really," Harry replied in surprise and told the old witch about his shopping trip to Diagon Alley.

"Very well," Pomfrey said and instructed him to not return to the past for at least twenty-four hours.

"All right, Professor Pomfrey, but I have an errand to run about four years in the past, and I will remain there for at least twenty-four hours," Harry promised. Ignoring the healer's glare, he told her that he'd like to see the Potions Master in order to thank him for his help.

Pomfrey sighed. "Very well, Harry. I'm going to put you under a disillusion charm, so that no one will be able to see you. Considering that you're able to cast wish magic, you can still make yourself visible only for Professor Snape." Seeing Harry nod his agreement, she cast the charm.

Harry profusely thanked the healer and headed to the Potions Master's office, feeling very much relieved that no one would be able to see him.

He spoke with the Slytherin head and apologized for wishing himself right into his classroom without properly thinking beforehand.

"If you see to it that no students are in the classroom, it's no problem," Snape replied, smirking.

After a few minutes of conversation with the Potions Master, Harry took his leave and, very happy about the disillusion charm, stepped in front of the entrance doors. _'No one can see me anyway,'_ he thought, once more considering his plan to get his revenge on Dumbledore by playing him a prank. _'For whatever problem he has with me,'_ he thought, grinning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Sitting on the steps in front of the entrance doors, Harry wished himself back to the afternoon of the thirty-first of July, 1991. <em>'I hope it's the right time, but I'm too lazy now to go to my room and check,'<em> he thought, tiredly. _'I'll just wait a while. Hagrid should show up soon.'_

It took about thirty minutes, before Harry could see Hagrid approach the castle in a fast pace, wearing the coat that he had been wearing when Harry had met him, his pink umbrella firmly in his right hand.

Harry concentrated on the small parcel that he knew to be in Hagrid's robe pocket, meant for the headmaster. He unobtrusively waved his wand, whispering "Accio small package." An instant later, he felt a small item in his hand and quickly slid it into the only robe pocket that was not cramped full with shrunken objects from his shopping trip. _'All right, that's it,'_ he thought and swiftly returned to his room.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Back in his room, he was just about to curiously open the small package, when a sudden thought crossed his mind. _'Maybe I shouldn't be in the castle at all, just when Dumbledore realises that the important object he was waiting for is gone. If I play a prank on the headmaster, I have to do it properly.'_ With that thought in mind, he just wished himself back home, to the early afternoon on the day, on which he had left in the middle of his Potions class. The thought that Hagrid might be in trouble because of his prank did not enter the twelve-year-old's mind.

ホグワーツへの組分け

A glance at the time display showed him that he had arrived at the correct day and that the afternoon classes were still not over. He sat on the edge of his bed and curiously pulled the small package out of his robe pocket. _'So sorry Dumbledore,'_ he thought, grinning. Opening the package, he stared at the content in surprise. It was a stone, a red stone, accompanied by a small parchment. _'A stone?'_ he wondered in disbelief. He opened the parchment in confusion, noticing in surprise that it contained a potion's recipe, titled _'The Elexir'_.

_'Maybe it's how he can make his lemon drops,' _Harry thought, recalling the conversation that he had once witnessed in Pomfrey's office. '_I'll try it out together with Ceridwen,'_ he decided, resolving to borrow the Potions classroom or Salazar's lab at the next opportunity.

Harry felt very excited and looked up, happily, when the door opened and his friend stepped into the room. "Ceridwen," he blurted out, smiling.

"Harry?" the girl queried, looking around in confusion. "Where are you?"

"Oh sorry," Harry replied, only now remembering that he was still under the disillusion charm. He waved his wand at himself, casting, "Finite Incantatem."

"Where have you been?" Ceridwen immediately began to scold him, giving him a sharp look.

Smirking, Harry told her about an interesting day in the future, ending with the prank that he had played on Dumbledore.

"You can brew it tomorrow morning during our Defence class with Sal, provided that you don't have an appointment with any of the other teachers," the girl suggested. "But don't drink anything, before I'll be with you," she warned him in apparent concern.

"I'll wait.. If I'm not too curious," Harry promised, sighing. "I have detention with Salazar tonight. Otherwise, we could just brew it after dinner."

Ceridwen eyed the recipe and the stone in confusion. "I don't have a clue what this is," she said. "Maybe we should ask Helga beforehand."

"Sure," Harry agreed, "but wouldn't that take away half of the fun?"

"That's true," Ceridwen concurred. "All right then, shall we attend dinner? Helga and Rowena were very worried about your whereabouts when you skipped lunch and the rest of your classes."

Harry quickly changed into his clothes of the past, and the two second-years headed to the Great Hall. Only now did Harry realise that he had not eaten anything since his breakfast in the future, and he felt famished. However, he had just begun to devour his dinner, when Helga stepped over to her house table and instructed him to come to her office right after dinner.

"I have detention with Professor Slytherin," Harry replied, apologetically.

"You're exempt from your detention tonight," Helga informed him in a voice that allowed no protest.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Feeling very much reassured by Ceridwen's company, Harry hesitantly entered his head of house's office, knowing that he was surely going to receive a scolding.

"Harry," Helga spoke up, sighing. "Which part of 'No magic for two weeks' did you not understand?"

"I'm sorry," Harry replied in a small voice. "Salazar just drove me over the edge. I know that I shouldn't just have left like I did."

While he was still speaking, Helga waved her wand over him, muttering to herself in apparent exasperation. "Fifty points from Hufflepuff for aggravating your condition," she finally said. "Ceridwen told me what happened, and as much as I'm upset at my husband, I'm also very disappointed in you. I thought you were more responsible."

"I'm sorry," Harry repeated, noticing, horrified, that tears welled in his eyes.

"Go to bed. You're still exempt from the classes that afford magic until further notice," the professor said, strictly.

"Yes Professor, good night," Harry replied, sadly.

Together with Ceridwen, he returned to the common room, where Gawain was already waiting for them.

"Let's do our homework in the dormitory, in case Helga comes into the common room," Ceridwen suggested, and the two boys obediently followed her to the boys' dormitory.

Two hours later, they were finished with everything, even Harry, who had enormous problems to concentrate on his work, not only because of the headache, but also because his thoughts kept drifting off to the stone that was supposed to belong to Dumbledore.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the first morning class, the Hufflepuff second-years had their Defence class with Professor Slytherin, and Harry decided to follow Ceridwen's advice of brewing his potion in the meantime. Since it was not exactly evident from the recipe how long it was going to take to brew the potion, Harry preferred Salazar's private lab over the Potions classroom, afraid that it wouldn't be finished on time for the second morning class.

The potion was not difficult to brew, and after mere thirty minutes, it changed to the colour, at which he was supposed to add the red stone. He diligently stirred 75 times clockwise and 45 times anti clockwise, before he sighed in relief, as he extinguished the flame under his cauldron. He filled the now colourless liquid into two small phials.

Like Salazar had taught him, he cast an unbreakable charm at the phials and slid them into his robe pockets along with the recipe that was of no use anymore, before he cleaned up the lab to its original state.

'_I still have time before the beginning of the second morning class,'_ he thought and swiftly walked by his room, hiding the two phials behind the bookshelf. However, suddenly, his curiosity got the best of him and he decided to just try out the potion. He opened one of the phials and took a sip, noticing that it did not taste of lemon drops like he had expected. However, the taste was not bad either, and he quickly gulped down the rest of the liquid.

To his relief, nothing strange happened, and he grabbed his book bag and slowly made his way to the Transfiguration classroom, noticing on the way that he suddenly felt much better than before.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Ceridwen cast him a surprised look. "Did you go to the future and slept for three weeks?" she guessed. "You somehow look very well rested."

"No," Harry whispered back, grinning, just when Godric entered the classroom. 'I just brewed the potion and took a phial of it,' he admitted, telepathically. 'There's one for you behind the bookshelf in my room.'

'All right. Thank you very much,' Ceridwen replied, excitedly turning around her friendship ring on her finger as she thought to him.

Noticing that his headache was completely gone and he felt better than ever, Harry decided to practise the transfiguration of a wooden bird into a stone cup together with his classmates and was able to gain five points for Hufflepuff.

ホグワーツへの組分け

After the last morning class, the two friends quickly excused themselves from Gawain and headed to Harry's room. Ceridwen sceptically eyed the small phial, however, seeing that it apparently had not harmed Harry, but rather helped as it seemed, she gulped it down, giggling in anticipation.

"What did the potion do?" she asked, curiously. "Did it do anything at all? I don't feel any different."

"Nor do I," Harry agreed, adding, "only better than before though."

Ceridwen gave him a thoughtful look. "Maybe we should go and let Helga check on you after lunch. Perhaps you'll be able to attend Sword Fighting later on."

After lunch in the Great Hall, the two friends followed their head of house to her office, where Ceridwen quickly explained the matter to her sister.

"You did WHAT?" Helga blurted out, glaring at the friends in disbelief, before she explained, "A toddler might drink a potion from a phial that's around somewhere, but I didn't think that two twelve-year-olds could be so stupid. You took a potion of which you don't have a clue what it is?" She let out an exasperated sigh.

"It seems to be good," Ceridwen replied in a small voice.

"Even if it seems so, neither of you know what long-term after effects it might have," Helga objected in a stern voice. Turning to Harry, she asked, "Do you have the recipe?"

Harry slowly pulled the recipe out of his robe pocket, suddenly feeling incredibly stupid.

The healer closely studied the recipe for a few minutes, before she finally said, "I'm going to show this to Salazar. Maybe he knows more than I do, even if I doubt that he'll be able to make any sense of this." Casting the two friends a stern look, she informed them, "You'll be grounded for two weeks, which means that you're going to assist Salazar in his lab every day between the last afternoon class and dinner. After dinner, you will come to my office and do your homework here under my supervision. Apparently, you're not responsible enough yet to be left unsupervised for a short time."

"I'm sorry, but I have detention with your husband for the rest of the week," Harry replied in a small voice.

"Very well then, let's just do it the other way round. Come to me after your last afternoon class, and spend the evening in the Potions classroom," Helga decided in apparent exasperation.

The students nodded, knowing that there was nothing that they could do to make the healer change her mind.

"Helga, may Harry attend all classes now?" Ceridwen asked, knowing that they had to hurry to be on time for the first afternoon class.

The professor waved her wand over the boy and nodded. "Yes. Apparently, the potion completely restored your magic," she acknowledged.

_'Thank Merlin,'_ Harry thought, as he hurriedly left the room behind Ceridwen.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the next two weeks, Ceridwen and Harry did not have any time to do as much as think about prank potions, other pranks or new inventions. While Helga made them do their homework in her office before dinner, after dinner, Salazar had them assist with the brewing of potions for the hospital room. Only on time for curfew did he release the students and instructed them to go right to bed.

Since Helga came into the common room every evening at curfew to check if everything was all right, Harry did not even have time to properly study the books about architecture that he had bought in the future.

However, with the beginning of October, the outside air suddenly became much cooler, and he began to worry if the plants were all right in the garden over the winter. _'Thank Merlin I'm not grounded anymore,'_ he thought. _'I should really begin to build a greenhouse for the more delicate plants.'_

Unfortunately, even after reading all of his architecture books, at the beginning of December, he still had no clue how to build a greenhouse.

"Harry, let's ask Helga if we may go home during the weekend," Ceridwen suggested, seeing how frustrated Harry was about the matter. "My father might be able to help you. He has assisted with the building of several houses in Hogsmeade."

Apparently still upset at the behaviour of her sister and her best friend, Helga outright refused to let the children go home and insisted they had to wait until the Christmas holidays like everyone else. Instead, she promised to cast warming charms at the plants in the roof garden every now and then.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day, when Harry and Ceridwen were helping in the potions lab, Salazar asked Harry, "Do you still have that stone?"

"No sir," Harry replied in surprised. "I diluted it, following the instruction in the recipe."

"That's all right then," the Potions Master said, pensively. "I was wondering if one had to brew the elixir again or if it worked just by brewing it once."

"Do you know anything about the effect, sir?" Harry asked in surprise. He had almost forgotten about the matter.

"I can only guess," Salazar replied, slowly. "It might give you permanent health, youth or even immortality. I am not certain though. However, I believe that it was more than just a small prank that you played on Dumbledore," he added, smirking.

"Maybe we should add a room to our quarters that ends right behind the staff room, so that we can hear and see what's going on in the staff room," Godric suggested, when Salazar informed his colleagues about his findings later on. "Then we could send Harry to the future to listen in to what Dumbledore tells his colleagues about the stone after realising that it's missing."

His colleagues agreed, however, decided to not speak with Harry about the matter until the Christmas holidays. Therefore, for once without asking Ceridwen and Harry for their assistance, they secretly built the spy chamber, which they made accessible from Helga's and Salazar's as well as from Rowena's and Godric's quarters.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Ceridwen and Harry were over the moon with joy, when Rowena's and Godric's daughter Helena was born at the beginning of December. Harry gave Rowena and Helga the items that he had brought from the future, and the two ladies gratefully made copies of the items for everyday use.

Every free minute, Ceridwen and Harry helped Rowena care for the baby, and when Helga's and Salazar's first child was born three weeks later, they were already proficient at changing nappies and making babies burp. To Harry's amazement, they called the boy _Severus_ in honour of the future Severus, who had helped saving their lives by giving Harry the plants that they had needed.

"Harry, these nappies from the future are just amazing," Helga told the boy one day. "I've often enough helped my mother care for the babies in the village, so I really appreciate the difference," she said and carefully hugged the child, noticing happily that he did not flinch back anymore like he had done when he had first come to live in her time.

Both babies absolutely loved the teddies that Harry had given to them when they were born and always quietened down, when the teddies spoke to them or played a melody. Ceridwen and Harry used to receive the brightest smiles from what they thought of as their small siblings, even if in reality they were Ceridwen's niece and nephew as well as Harry's many times great grandparents.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Soon, the winter holidays began, and everyone apart from the four teachers, Ceridwen and Harry travelled home. Like in the previous year, the founders invited their parents to spend Christmas at Hogwarts, and in the morning of Christmas Eve, Harry showed the adults his memory of a future Christmas tree. Unfortunately, his memory was not very descriptive, as he had only been able to get glimpses of the Dursleys' trees, and Harry decided to make a short trip to the future to retrieve some better memories.

However, when he voiced his plan at lunchtime, Helga told him about the secret chamber behind the staffroom and asked him to go and see if he could find out something about the stone that had been supposed to be Dumbledore's.

"I've cast a charm at the room that gives an alert all over our quarters including your room, when a staff meeting commences," Rowena informed him. "That means that you don't have to wait in the room but can, for example, stay in your room or our quarters and sleep or read a book," she added, smiling fondly at the boy.

"Are you sure that Dumbledore's going to talk about the matter in the staff room?" Ceridwen threw in, incredulously. "If they have so many professors like Harry told us, wouldn't he rather speak with someone in his office?"

"Possibly yes," Godric agreed and rose from his chair. "I'm going to change the spy room to not only display the staffroom but also my office. I'll charm it so that only the six of us will be able to enter the room. Is that all right?"

His colleagues agreed, and the headmaster strode out of the Great Hall.

"Spy room," Ceridwen repeated, chuckling.

"All right, I'll go to the future then right away," Harry decided. "I'll be back sometime between now and dinner."

"Be careful," Ceridwen demanded, giving him a concerned look.

"Don't worry, I will," Harry replied, reassuringly. "Does anyone need anything else from the future?" he asked as an afterthought.

"Yes, I'd like to have the self-updating history book that you or your ghost have written," Ceridwen blurted out, excitedly.

However, Harry shook his head. "If I brought a self-updating history book here, everything from tomorrow onwards would disappear immediately," he objected. "The not self-updating _Hogwarts: A History_ I have anyway, even if it doesn't say that it was written by me."

"That's true," Rowena confirmed. "A self-updating book would be of no use here. I'd like to once again borrow your book by the way."

ホグワーツへの組分け

A few minutes later, Harry summoned his wish magic to travel to the afternoon of his eleventh birthday. _'I must be careful to not meet myself before I left,'_ he thought and headed over to the spy room, where Godric was still casting spells, before he left.

Upon his arrival in the future, he saw that Hagrid just entered the headmaster's office. To his surprise, Dumbledore enquired about him, Harry, and, apparently contented with Hagrid's reply, asked for the parcel.

Inwardly groaning in annoyance, Harry witnessed how Hagrid discovered that the parcel was gone from his robe pocket. _'Oh no, poor Hagrid,'_ he thought, horrified, upon listening to Dumbledore's reaction. _'I didn't even think that he'd blame Hagrid for losing it.'_ He pondered if he should go to the headmaster's office to clarify the situation, however, he dismissed the thought again, resolving to properly consider the matter or ask his parents for an advice before doing anything. _'I can always ask my ghost to do something in the future,' _he thought.

After a few minutes, he saw and heard how Dumbledore leaned into the fireplace and called McGonagall and Snape. He offered them a lemon drop, which they both declined, before he told them about his newest discovery.

"Hagrid was supposed to bring me the Philosopher's Stone from Gringotts, as I feared that it wouldn't be safe enough at the bank, however, he seems to have lost it on the way," he began and explained, "As you might now, from the stone, it is possible to brew the Elixir of Life that provides immortality for the consumer, and I'm afraid that Voldemort wants to lay his hands on it."

Horrified, Harry witnessed how Hagrid was questioned under Veritaserum and even had to endure that Snape cast a Legilimency spell at him. However, in the end, Dumbledore accepted that Hagrid had probably nothing to do with the theft, however, had not paid enough attention.

_'Immortality?'_ Harry wondered. _'That should be impossible, and if Ceridwen and I were immortal now, why would my ghost be at Hogwarts in this time, and why isn't Ceridwen waiting for me in my room every time I come here?'_ he thought, letting out a snort.

"What was that?" McGonagall suddenly asked, pointing to the wall, behind which the spy chamber was situated. "Did you hear that?"

"No my dear," Dumbledore replied, still seemingly angered, and dismissed his colleagues.

Harry hurriedly left the spy chamber, resolving to ask his parents for a silencing charm on this side of the wall.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Although he was absolutely not in the mood for Christmas celebrations, he travelled four months and a half into the future and headed to Diagon Alley. Right in front of Flourish & Blotts was a huge Christmas tree that was beautifully decorated. Harry made sure to look at the tree from all angles in order to have a few pictures to add to Rowena's Pensieve upon his return to the past. He also bought a few children's books and toys as well as some Christmas books and decorations that were unknown in his time.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry arrived right on time for dinner, feeling incredibly happy that he neither suffered from headaches after the time travel nor from magical exhaustion anymore. _'I hope the effects of the Elixir will last for a long time,'_ he thought, smiling, as he made his way to the Great Hall together with Ceridwen, who had - as usual - been waiting for him in his room, deeply engrossed in _Hogwarts: A History_.

After dinner, he handed the others the Christmas decorations that he had brought and showed them the memory of the Christmas tree in Diagon Alley in the Pensieve, followed by the memory from the spy chamber. While everyone else headed into the Pensieve, he watched the babies, who still remained asleep most of the day.

"My baby sister is immortal," Helga blurted out, grinning, when they left the Pensieve.

"Nonsense," Salazar growled. "Why would Potter have a ghost in the future if he was immortal?"

Harry let his eyes wander through the room, noticing in surprise that a small smile was playing on Rowena's lips, as if she was wiser than the others.

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Heather and Heath as well as the other teachers' parents, and everyone headed to the Great Hall in order to try putting up a Christmas tree.

ホグワーツへの組分け

For Christmas, Harry received a charmed calendar from Rowena that included a time span of 1200 years and was charmed so that he could set an alarm for any entered appointment. For each appointment, he could freely set the alarm to go off at a specific date and time.

"As you might now by now, I'm a Seer, and I've had many visions about your future," she explained. "There are several things, of which you respectively your ghost has to take care in several different periods of the future."

Harry eyed the calendar in amazement. _'Magic is so cool,'_ he thought as he put the calendar up onto the wall in his room, knowing that it would be close to impossible to fit all these years onto a Muggle calendar.

He immediately added a few appointments to his calendar, beginning with a visit to the headmaster's office in the evening of the thirty-first of July, 1991, followed by a date with Hermione as well as a visit with Snape for the summer after his third Hogwarts year in the future. _'My ghost will be more than annoyed to have so many appointments,'_ he thought, _'although some of them like the visits after my supposed to be third year I'm going to do myself sometime during the next year.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's disappointment, Heath told him that it was impossible to build the greenhouse during the winter months, especially while the ground was white with snow. However, he promised to help Harry with the task during the summer holidays and until then read all of his future books concerning architecture.

_'Wouldn't it be possible to just clear the grounds from snow and ice?'_ Harry wondered, however, he knew better than to contradict.

During the following months, he intensely studied the Herbology books, which he had brought from the future, and made plans how to efficiently use the greenhouse. _'I know there were about four greenhouses in the future, but considering that we don't have Herbology classes in this time and only need the plants for potions ingredients, one should be enough,'_ he decided.

One day in summer, Harry showed Ceridwen and her father his memory of the greenhouse in the future, and after a longer discussion about where he wanted it and how big it should be, Heath, Ceridwen and Harry finally built the greenhouse. During the following few days, Harry and Ceridwen busied themselves transferring those plants that were most sensitive for the cold to the greenhouse, before they showed their project to Helga and Salazar.

"Oh well, certainly good for the plants," Salazar sneered, "but you forgot something essential."

The children gave the Potions Master a horrified look, before Ceridwen queried, "And what might that be?"

"Does the new building belong to Hogwarts?" Salazar asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Err, yes," Harry replied, trying to sound more certain than he actually felt.

"Well, ask her," Salazar said, smirking, and pointed to one of the glass walls.

Harry was just about to put his hand against the glass wall, but Ceridwen was faster. "Hogwarts, can you hear me?" she asked, urgently.

However, there was no reply.

"You probably have to gift her the new building," Helga spoke up, thoughtfully. "Go to the main building and ask her how to proceed. She'll be able to tell you what to do."

The children eagerly followed her advice, and Hogwarts taught them a spell that they could use to add the building to herself.

Together with his best friend, Harry cast the spell, before he let his wand sink and stared at the greenhouse in relief. "Yes, that's how it looks in the future."

"She has added some of her own features to it. Amazing," Ceridwen added, smiling. 'Now we really belong to her founders,' she thought to Harry through the friendship ring, causing Harry to nod and smile.

Harry realised soon that it was much work to look after the greenhouse in addition to the roof garden, however, Ceridwen helped him and the two friends enjoyed themselves greatly caring for the plants during the weekends.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The two friends were so busy that until the end of their fourth Hogwarts year, Harry had not managed to try out how to fly on a broomstick. He still had his Quidditch books as well as the Quidditch supplies and the brooms lying at the bottom of his wardrobe, in the original packaging, in which he had bought them.

However, a few weeks before the beginning of their fifth year, something happened that made him remember the sports that was played at Hogwarts in the future.

One day during the summer holidays, Helga informed the others that the whole blessing of unicorns had taken ill with a disease that affected their leg muscles. The illness could be cured, however, the unicorns would not be able to have anyone ride on them for at least six months.

"Oh no, just when first complete classes are fifth years and have to study for the OWLs," Godric said, sighing. "They really need some fresh air between their studies."

"I know something," Harry spoke up, thoughtfully, and explained about flying on brooms and playing Quidditch in the future.

During the remaining weeks of the holidays, the six permanent inhabitants of Hogwarts busied themselves watching Harry's memory, testing the two brooms, studying the Quidditch book and building the Quidditch pitch according to Harry's memory.

_'Flying is just great,'_ Harry thought, feeling very happy as he flew over the lake together with Ceridwen, enjoying the early morning sun. _'I wished I could already transform into my phoenix form. Flying as a bird will surely be even more fun.'_ So far, he had managed to change his whole body apart from his head, while Ceridwen could already transform into her snowy owl form.

"It takes time to achieve the transformation into a magical animal," Godric and Rowena reassured him over and over, however, Harry felt very annoyed by the fact.

_'Oh well, at least we can fly on our brooms for the time being,'_ he thought, glancing over at Ceridwen, who looked very happy and contented.

_'Maybe I can find some books about the Animagus transformation,'_ Harry suddenly thought. _'I haven't been to the future for ages, and I'd like to make a trip again. I should also buy enough brooms for two Quidditch teams. That should be enough until we can find someone in this time who can make brooms.'_

He decided to travel very early in the following morning and to be back on time for breakfast, however, without telling anyone. _'If I don't tell Ceridwen and the adults, they won't worry,'_ he thought and landed on the ground after his friend with a small smile playing on his lips, when a sudden idea crossed his mind.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Harry decided to wish himself to the first of August, 1994, the day, for which he had his appointment with Hermione. He first went to see Snape, and the two wizards spent an hour talking about various potions and their ingredients, however, neither side had any interesting news, so that Harry took his leave earlier than he had expected and headed to Diagon Alley.<p>

_'I still have some time before I meet Hermione, so I'll do everything else first and go to the bookshop last,'_ he decided. He went to the Quidditch shop and bought twenty brooms, deciding to use them as school brooms for all students. He also purchased another set of the balls needed for the game in case something happened to the other balls. With his shopping items shrunken in his robe pocket, he walked through the shopping street, until he reached the jeweller, where he had bought the friendship rings before.

He entered the shop and eagerly let his eyes wander around. _'If I want to ask her to become my girlfriend, I need something proper,'_ he thought. _'But on the other hand, I've already given her the friendship ring and the matching necklace, so what could I give her now?'_ he wondered, when his eyes fell onto a brooch. It was almost round with a pattern that looked like the Hogwarts crest, but was slightly different. _'It has all the animals that the friendship ring has,_' Harry realised, happily, and immediately decided that it would be the perfect gift for his hopefully soon to become girlfriend.

Five minutes later, he was back on Diagon Alley, feeling famished. _'I'm going to have breakfast,'_ he decided and headed to the Leaky Cauldron, glad that he did not meet anyone who knew him, while he devoured his breakfast. _'The food is good but not better than in our time,'_ he thought. _'The cooking of the Hogwarts' elves is just amazing.'_

He mixed in with a group of wizards and witches to get out of the Leaky Cauldron, as he still did not know which bricks he had to tap to open the wall, and paid the toyshop a visit. Torn between children's books and cuddly toys, he finally chose a toddler's broom for Helena and a toddler's first potions kit for Severus, before he made his way to Flourish & Blotts to wait for Hermione, so far feeling very contented with his shopping trip.

ホグワーツへの組分け

By the time the girl arrived at the bookshop, Harry had already added a huge pile of books to his luggage.

"Hi Harry," Hermione greeted them, before she pointed to the pile of books in apparent amusement and asked, "Are you just building up the Hogwarts library?"

Harry stared at his friend in surprise. _'Right, that's it. We should make a library, so the adults don't have to come to me to borrow this or that book all the time,'_ he thought, before he replied, aloud, "Hermione, that's an amazing idea. Thank you so much!"

Hermione chuckled. "You still remembered our appointment," she said, smiling.

"Of course I did," Harry replied, "just like you."

"Shall we go and have some tea?" the girl suggested. "We'd be better able to talk than here," she explained, causing Harry to glance at the crowd of Hogwarts students who were just buying their school books.

"Yes, that's better," Harry agreed and allowed the girl to lead him into a coffee shop in Muggle London, where they spent the next few hours talking about everything that came into their minds.

"When we met for the first time," Harry said, hesitantly, "you told me that you were good friends with my ghost, right?"

"Yes, he's my best friend," Hermione replied, smiling. "He's just amazing."

Harry shook his head in confusion. "I only met him once, and he was not very forthcoming. Do you know since when he's around at Hogwarts?"

Hermione sighed, looking at Harry with a combination of what seemed to be annoyance and amusement.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she finally said. "He made me swear a witch's oath that I wouldn't tell you anything."

"He what?" Harry blurted out in shock. "But why? Why all this secrecy?"

Hermione cast him a compassionate look. "I assume that it's because he thinks that it's better for you not to know certain things that are going to happen in your future," she explained in a soft voice.

Finally, Harry showed his friend the brooch that he had bought for Ceridwen. "I hope she'll agree to become my girlfriend," he said, feeling too happy about the matter to not speak about it with his future's friend.

"I'm sure she will," Hermione replied, smiling. "This brooch is beautiful by the way." Suddenly, however, her expression changed to concern, and she advised him, "You better ask someone in the past how to ask someone to become your girlfriend in that time though. I don't know if it works as easily as it does in our time."

"Oh no, I didn't even think about that," Harry realised, horrified. "Maybe people in our time don't become girlfriend and boyfriend but only wait until they're adults to become engaged or whatever."

"Don't worry, Harry," Hermione said, soothingly patting his arm. "Even if you might have to wait for a few years, she'll definitely agree to become your wife. In which Hogwarts year are you now?" she then asked, efficiently changing the topic.

"Fifth year is going to commence soon," Harry informed her, sighing, only to add, "which means a lot of studying for the OWLs."

"Yes, it's not different in our time," Hermione agreed. "I'm glad that I still have two years until my OWLs, especially since I can't decide which of the selective subjects to continue."

"Selective subjects?" Harry queried, causing the girl to explain everything about Divination, Care of Magical Creatures and the other selective subjects.

"Runes we have as a normal subject," Harry replied, "however, we don't have any of the others, plus we only have four teachers, so they wouldn't be able to teach anything else."

"Maybe they should think about hiring some external teachers," Hermione said, thoughtfully.

"Yes, they were considering asking Rowena's sister Roxana to teach Charms, so that Rowena could teach Divination, but their relationship isn't very good, so they couldn't convince her to teach yet," Harry recalled.

"I don't like Divination," Hermione voiced her opinion, rolling her eyes. "Especially since the teacher seems to be a complete fraud. Well, this was the first of the selectives that I gave up."

"Rowena is a Seer," Harry informed her, "but I think either you're a Seer or not, and I'm definitely not one, so I won't be able to learn it," he added, grinning.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was almost evening, when Harry returned to Hogwarts. He toyed with the thought of asking Hogwarts to make an appointment for him with his ghost, however, he dismissed the thought, knowing that if his ghost had gone as far as making Hermione swear a witch's oath that she wouldn't tell him anything, he certainly wouldn't either.

_'He seems very arrogant,'_ he thought. _'I really don't like him. On the other hand, he can't be so bad if he's Hermione's best friend. I wished I could take her to the past with me. It would be great to have her study together with Ceridwen, Gawain and me.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

Knowing that he had to be back in the morning, Harry decided to take a nap before travelling back, and after a good night's sleep, he managed to arrive right before Ceridwen knocked at his door to call him for breakfast.

"Harry?" she asked in surprise at his modern attire. "Are you going to travel to the future?"

"No dear," Harry replied, grinning. "I just came back." He shortly told her about his meeting with Hermione and his purchases, leaving out the matter with the brooch. _'I'll try to speak with Helga in private after breakfast,'_ he resolved, while Ceridwen pointed her wand at him, exchanging his clothes with those of their time.

ホグワーツへの組分け

At breakfast, Harry told the adults about the school brooms as well as about Hermione's idea to build a library.

"That's an amazing idea," Rowena was the first to agree on the plan. "If you're willing to donate your books to the library."

Harry grinned, as he confirmed, "That was my intention."

"Let's begin right away," Rowena suggested. "Maybe we'll be able to finish it before the school year commences next Tuesday."

Harry and Ceridwen agreed immediately, and together with Rowena, they spent the whole day building the library. While the children made a huge room and built shelves, Rowena used the time to apply all kinds of charms to the room.

"Oh Merlin, this looks absolutely amazing," Helga spoke up, when she came to call the tree for dinner. "I love it."

_'Yes, it's great,'_ Harry thought, feeling somehow proud that he had been able to create a room that rivalled the Great Hall in its appearance. He slowly followed the others down to the Great Hall, noticing in surprise that he somehow did not feel well at all. _'How strange,'_ he thought. _'Ever since I drank the Elixir, I've always been healthy and fit. But today, I feel as if I was getting sick. I hope the Elixir hasn't already expired.'_

Of course, his condition did not go unnoticed by the healer and her sister, and right after dinner, Helga took him with her to the hospital room, where she instructed him to lie down in the bed next to her office.

Feeling too miserable to care what happened, Harry complied, barely noticing that the healer waved her wand over him a few times.

"What is it?" Ceridwen whispered, looking at her best friend in concern.

"I have no idea," Helga replied, thoughtfully. "My spell only tells me that his throat is infected and he's running a high fever. I'd suppose that it's a Muggle illness, but he didn't have contact to the Muggle world at all, did he?"

Ceridwen sighed. "In the future, he met his friend, Hermione. She's muggleborn I think, and he spent a few hours with her in Muggle London."

"Ah that explains it," Helga said in understanding. "From the symptoms, it slightly resembles the wizard's flu, but I'm not sure. I hope that the potion for the wizard's flu will work." She spelled the potion as well as a fever reducer right into the boy's system, glad that she had learned the spell from one of the healing books from the future.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following days, Harry's condition continuously worsened in spite of the potions that Helga gave him every few hours. He was captured in fevered dreams, unaware of the fact that Helga and Ceridwen witnessed his nightmares about the Dursleys and about Dumbledore wanting to keep him in the future and send him back to his relatives.

"The poor boy," Helga said to her sister.

Ceridwen agreed, just when Harry continued to mumble in barely understandable way. "Mione, what if she doesn't want to become my girlfriend? Why's that ghost so stupid? He should tell me what to do."

"What?" Ceridwen spoke up, giving her sister an incredulous look. "I wished he wouldn't go to the future anymore. What if he gets so close to Hermione that he won't come back?" she whispered, tears welling in her eyes at the thought of losing Harry.

"He won't," Helga promised, "plus I think I'm going to restrict his visits to the future anyway, considering that he seems very susceptible to illnesses, even if his condition is better than it was before you drank the Elixir."

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was only a few days later that Harry felt alert enough to take in his surroundings. Seeing that only Helga was at his side, while Ceridwen was absent, he spoke up, urgently, "Helga, I need to speak with you. I want to ask Ceridwen to become my girlfriend, but I don't know how to do that in this time."

To Harry's surprise, Helga grinned in apparent amusement.

"Sorry, but did I say something wrong?" he asked, indignantly.

"No dear, not at all," his guardian and head of house reassured him quickly and told him about his nightmares that she and Ceridwen had witnessed. "In our time, usually the parents make an agreement, be it with or without considering their children's wishes," she explained. "However, in the case of Salazar and me and also in Godric's and Rowena's case, our parents just gave in to our pleads. For this time, I believe that they are very progressive, maybe all magical people are less conservative than Muggles, I'm not sure though." Seeing that Harry was barely able to keep his eyes open much longer, she added, simply, "We're your guardians anyway, and as such we'll speak with Ceridwen's and my parents, but they will definitely not object and be willing to arrange something with us. I know for a fact that they're very fond of you. Ceridwen will be happy if you speak with her about it."

"Okay Helga, thank you," Harry mumbled, happily, before he succumbed to the potions that the healer had spelled into his system a few minutes ago.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Harry woke up again, Ceridwen was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at him. "Hi sweetheart," she said, smiling.

_'She's just beautiful,'_ Harry thought. "Hi," he replied, feeling strangely uncertain. "Ceridwen," he continued, unsurely playing with his bed covers. "Will you become my girlfriend?" he finally blurted out, looking at her in expectation.

"Of course I will," Ceridwen replied, and her expression changed to a bright smile. "Helga will have to speak with our parents though, but I think they'll be very happy too."

"Helga said so," Harry confirmed, "and I hope she's right."

"Harry," Ceridwen suddenly asked in a sterner voice, "since when did you have these feelings for me?"

Harry felt how his cheeks heated up and thought, _'I just hope she thinks that it's just from the fever,' _before he replied, honestly, "Since I've first met you."

"Same here," Ceridwen said, cheerily, and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's relief, Helga released him before breakfast on the day, on which the students were supposed to come back. After breakfast, he asked Ceridwen to accompany him to his room for a moment.

"Harry, what's up?" the girl asked in apparent surprise at his eagerness.

"First, I want to give you something, and then I need to finish the library," Harry replied, before he pulled a small box out of his future robe's pocket. He pressed it into Ceridwen's hand and said, "I'm sorry, originally, I wanted to give it to you when I asked you if you'd become my girlfriend, but I happened to not have it with me at that time."

Ceridwen let out a small chuckle, before she curiously opened the package, staring at the brooch in obvious amazement.

"Thank you so much, Harry. This is beautiful," she said, giving the jewellery a close look. "It matches our friendship ring and the necklace," she breathed, seemingly happy.

"Strange that it has a phoenix on it though," Harry said, thoughtfully, "but I'm glad that you like it."

"I love it," Ceridwen replied and smiled, making Harry think once again that she had the most beautiful smile, which she had ever seen.

"Now I need to carry the books to the library," Harry changed the topic. "Do you perhaps know a spell for that?"

Ceridwen cast him a surprised look and sighed, before she replied in a stern voice, "First of all, I don't know such a spell. We must ask Helga, and secondly, you shouldn't do anything strenuous today but rest."

Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance, before he said, matter-of-factly, "Helga released me, and carrying books to the library, preferably with a spell, is not exactly strenuous." _'She's as protective of me as Helga,'_ he thought. _'I wonder if that's a healer thing to just tell people to do this or that.'_

Ceridwen shot him a glare, before she decided, "Let's ask a house-elf then to take the books to the library." With that she called one of the elves and, after asking Harry if there were any books that he wanted to keep in his room, instructed the elf to take the rest to the library.

"Yes, Mistress Ceridwen," the elf replied in apparent excitement and popped away.

Harry stared at his shelf in amazement. All the books had vanished simultaneously. "These elves are truly amazing," he blurted out, causing Ceridwen to smile and agree.

ホグワーツへの組分け

All of a sudden, a ghost swept into the room, causing Ceridwen and Harry to stare at the silverish figure with sceptic. _'My ghost?'_ was Harry's first thought, wondering how his ghost had managed to travel to the past, before he realised that it was Merlin.

"Hello my boy," the ghost greeted Harry, completely ignoring Ceridwen's presence. "I just wanted to tell you that you're doing great and that I'll come back to give you instructions at the end of the school year."

"Excuse me," Ceridwen threw in, sounding slightly upset. "Did anyone allow you to roam Hogwarts, and where are you staying? At Hogwarts?"

"Not yet," the ghost replied, haughtily. "However, I will, as soon as Harry accomplishes what I want him to do. No one, not even the little sister of one of the founders can throw a ghost out. In case you're not aware of it, the headmaster is my great grandson. Apart from that, many of the spells that you're using to build Hogwarts were invented by me."

"All right, I'm sorry, Merlin, but we need to go and finish the library," Harry threw in, noticing that Ceridwen still seemed upset at the ghost's behaviour.

"Very well, I'll come back in the summer," Merlin repeated, letting out a cackling laugh, before he swept away, right through the wall.

"What was that?" Ceridwen asked, incredulously. "Do you have an idea what he wants from you?"

"No," Harry replied, shaking his head in annoyance. "I don't have a clue."

ホグワーツへの組分け

The two friends spent most of the day in the library. Harry realised in surprise that Rowena and Ceridwen had already finished the decorations, made sections for the respective subjects and added several hundred books of the time to the shelves.

"Where did you get all these books?" he asked in surprise, causing Ceridwen to chuckle.

"The adults brought their own books plus they asked in Hogsmeade if people were willing to gift their books to the library," she explained. "You must know that everyone in Hogsmeade is very proud of having Hogwarts here. It's the only magical school in Britain, and everyone is happy that it's situated right next to our village. In fact, I'm planning something," she added, seemingly hesitating.

"What is it?" Harry queried with interest, giving her an encouraging look.

Ceridwen remained pensive for a moment, before she slowly began to speak. "As I told you before, I want to become a healer. You know that Mum is the healer in Hogsmeade and Helga here at Hogwarts. I'd love to remain at Hogwarts after finishing my NEWTs, but Hogwarts doesn't need more than one healer."

"If the school continues to grow like it does now, it might need a second healer who only looks after the students without teaching," Harry threw in.

Ceridwen sighed. "Well that might be, but I don't know. Anyway, what I thought about is to build a magical hospital right next to the border to Hogsmeade. It would belong to Hogwarts, but all magical people from anywhere in Britain could go there if they need a healer. I could also add a hospital room like that here at the school to keep someone overnight. Mum often has to go to see someone in the middle of the night, but if we had a room, where we could keep people for observation or recovery, it would be much easier for her."

"That's an amazing idea," Harry commended his girlfriend.

"Really?" Ceridwen enquired, giving him a hopeful look. "Don't you mind?"

"Why would I mind?" Harry asked, incredulously. "You're going to make a brilliant healer," he added, recalling how she had looked after him during his stay in the hospital room. "I have no idea what I'm going to do after Hogwarts," he thought aloud, more to himself than to his girlfriend.

However, Ceridwen chuckled. "I can imagine what you'll want to do, and I already spoke about it with Helga and Rowena."

"What is it?" Harry queried in surprise, quirking an eyebrow.

"That's for you to find out," Ceridwen replied, chuckling, and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, before she urged him out onto the grounds, as the first students were just arriving together with their parents.

When the Sorting ceremony was over, the headmaster introduced a new teacher, Roxana Ravenclaw, who was going to teach Runes and Arithmancy. He also informed the students about the introduction of a new subject, Divination, which was going to be taught by his wife.

"This subject is selective, which means that you may choose if you want to attend it, from third year onwards," he explained. "Since this comes very sudden, you have time until the end of the week to inform us if you want to attend the Divination class."

'They managed to coax Roxana into teaching,' Ceridwen thought to Harry. 'Isn't that cool? I thought it would never be possible.'

Harry chuckled and thought back, _'Well, considering that it took them four years to do so, it's an enormous improvement.'_

However, Roxana Ravenclaw should not remain the only new teacher at Hogwarts. At the beginning of January, Cailean Campbell was introduced as the new Sports instructor, who was going to teach the Horse Riding classes as well as the newly invented Flying class.

'He's from Hogsmeade,' Ceridwen informed Harry through the friendship ring. 'He's of the same age as Helga and the others, and I remember that he once helped me with Maths. He's very nice.'

ホグワーツへの組分け

Their conversation was interrupted when the meal popped up on the tables.

"Are you going to take Divination?" Harry asked his classmates, glancing around the table.

"I'm not sure," Ceridwen said, thoughtfully. "On the one hand, it would be great to be able to see into the future, but on the other hand, I don't think that I'll be able to do so, even if I attend that class."

"I fully agree," Gawain spoke up. "You must either be born with the ability or you just don't have it. Just my opinion though, but I won't take the class either."

Harry couldn't help agreeing with his friends. _'That's about the same that Hermione told me about her Divination class,'_ he thought. "I won't take it either," he said, simply.

In the end, none of the fifth years registered for the Divination class in contrary to the younger students, who took the class out of curiosity.

_'If I want to know what's going to happen in the future, I only have to read Hogwarts: A History,'_ Harry mused. _'I don't know if it's still accurate though. Maybe I changed the future so much that everything becomes different. Perhaps that's why everyone seems to keep secrets from me. The next time I travel to the future, I'm going to buy the newest version of Hogwarts: A History. Not the self-updating version but the normal one of course,'_ he resolved.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To his chagrin, Helga explicitly forbade him to travel to the future at least before the end of the school year.

"Harry," she explained, patiently, apparently realising that the boy was very upset about her decision, "even if the Elixir has greatly improved your general condition and strengthened your magic, so that you apparently don't have problems travelling like you did when you came here for the first time, your condition is still worse than it should be for a boy of your age. This was probably caused by your unfortunate upbringing with your relatives, so that there's nothing that we can do to help it. However, I won't have you aggravate your condition or put yourself into danger by travelling to the future and back unnecessarily, especially during the school year."

"I understand," Harry replied, inwardly rolling his eyes. The thought _'She wouldn't even know if I left during the night and came back a few minutes later'_ crossed his mind, however, he dismissed it immediately. He knew better than to disobey the kind woman who had taken him in, become his guardian and allowed him to remain and study at Hogwarts when he had arrived at the wrong time four years ago.

_'I'll go during the summer holidays then,'_ he decided, unaware that he would be too engrossed in other matters during the summer after his fifth year to do as much as think about time travel.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was late in the evening before his first OWL that Ghost Merlin showed up in the Hufflepuff fifth year boys' dormitory. Helga had just switched off the torches and left the room, when the ghost appeared right over Harry's bed.

"Harry, don't go to sleep yet," Merlin whispered, causing Harry to sleepily open his eyes again.

"Merlin," he replied, inwardly groaning.

"I came to give you my instruction," the ghost informed him, causing Harry to let out an impatient groan.

"Merlin, I'm sorry, but I have my Potions OWL tomorrow," he replied, grumpily. "Sorry, but I'm really not in the mood to listen to anything right now, and I'm tired. Can you perhaps come to speak with me after the test week?"

"Oh well, babies still need a lot of sleep," Merlin said, chuckling, before he floated away, making Harry sigh in relief.

_'I wonder what he wants. He already came to tell me that he wants me to do something for him four years ago, but he still didn't give me any detail,'_ he thought, wondering if he should speak with the teachers about the matter. _'No, I'll wait what he has to say and, depending what it is, I'll inform the teachers,'_ he resolved, before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, the image of Ghost Merlin still in front of his eyes.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's relief, he found all of his tests fairly easy. During the last few years, he had studied together with Ceridwen and Gawain every evening, sometimes even together with the other Hufflepuff fifth years, so that he was well prepared.

"That went well," Ceridwen said, contentedly, when they returned to the common room after their last test.

"Yes, it was much easier than I thought it would be," Harry agreed, feeling very contented.

However, Gawain let out a long sigh. "I think I failed my Potions tests, both, the written test and the practical one," he admitted, sadly. "I hope they'll still allow me to become a sixth year, even if I failed Potions."

Ceridwen and Harry exchanged a confused look, before Ceridwen blurted out in surprise, "You failed Potions? But why? You always studied together with us."

"I think Professor Slytherin just doesn't like me," Gawain said in a small voice."

"Well yes, you said that before but..." Ceridwen slowly trailed off, giving Harry a questioning look.

"Let's go and ask Helga what would happen if he really failed Potions," Harry suggested. "Maybe we can tutor him, so that he can re-take his OWL during sixth year or such."

"Yes, let's do that," Ceridwen agreed, and Gawain nodded, seemingly desperate.

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Helga patiently listened to what the three students told her, before she replied thoughtfully. "I must speak with my colleagues about the matter. First of all, I'll ask my husband if you really failed it, and if so, maybe there will be a possibility for you to re-take the test at the end of the holidays. I can't promise you anything though, because that's a decision which I have to make together with my colleagues."

"If it was possible for him to take the tests again," Harry spoke up, hesitantly, "could Gawain perhaps come and visit Ceridwen and me during the holidays, so that we could tutor him?"

Helga gently laid her arm around Harry's shoulders, before she replied, "That's a very generous offer, Harry, and I'm sure that there will be a way that Gawain could visit you for this purpose. Even if students aren't allowed to remain at Hogwarts during the summer, Gawain could either stay in Harry's room as his friend, or if this is unacceptable for my colleagues, I'm sure that he could stay overnight in my parents' house and spend the days here, so that the three of you could study together."

"Thank you so much, Professor," Gawain was the first to reply.

"Don't worry dear," Helga said in a soothing voice. "I'll inform you later on."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Even if he could not wait to be alone with Ceridwen to make plans for the holidays, Harry spent the whole evening in the common room with his girlfriend and Gawain, knowing that his friend was impatiently waiting for Helga's answer.

Their head of house only came into the common room shortly before the beginning of curfew. She made a beeline to the sofa, where the trio was sitting and addressed Gawain.

"My husband confirmed that you've failed both tests, the written as well as the practical one," she said in a small voice. "However, all of my colleagues have agreed that you may visit Ceridwen and Harry over the holidays to study together and that you will be allowed to re-take your tests during the last week of the holidays. I'll speak with your parents, when they come here to pick you up next week."

Gawain profusely thanked the professor, feeling very much reassured by his friends' promise to tutor him.

_'It'll be fun to have him stay with me in my room. On the other hand, I hope I'll still have some time alone with Ceridwen. I wonder if he's going to stay over the whole summer,'_ Harry thought, when the two boys retreated to their dormitory.

When he scrambled into bed, glad that the test week was over and only a week of normal classes was left until the beginning of the holidays, he noticed in surprise that Ghost Merlin was hovering over his bed.

_'Oh no, over all the commotion I completely forgot about Merlin. Why does he always have to come to speak with me when I'm tired and want to sleep?'_ he thought in annoyance.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>"Hi Merlin," Harry said, tiredly.<p>

"Hello Harry," Ghost Merlin replied, before he asked, politely, "Would you mind casting a silencing charm around us? I can do that myself, but as a ghost it takes much longer to replenish my magic."

"Of course sir," Harry replied, inwardly groaning, and obediently waved his wand around his bed, before he placed his wand back under his pillow and gave the ghost an expectant look.

"Very good," Merlin acknowledged. "According to the instruction I gave you almost five years ago, you have become the fifth founder of Hogwarts. This is good, very good. Now I need you to build the fifth house, the Merlin House."

"What?" Harry blurted out in surprise and disbelief.

"You heard me correctly," Merlin said, indignantly. "I want you to build my house. The four houses of Hogwarts are insufficient. There's one for the stupid ones, one for the slimy ones, one for the cuddly ones and one for the studious ones, but we need a house for the indecisive ones as well. There are students who fit in all houses but not into a specific one, and you're one of them. Therefore, we need the fifth house."

"I understand," Harry said in a small voice.

"Now since I'm the great grandfather of your headmaster and the other founders learned all that they needed to build this castle from my spells," the ghost continued his monologue, "it's obvious that the fifth house must be named after me."

Harry's thoughts went haywire. _'He wants me to build a fifth house, the Merlin house. But...'_

"Excuse me sir, but why me?" he asked, curiously.

Ghost Merlin let out a cackling laugh. "That's because you're very powerful my boy. On top of that, you're my many times great grandchild..."

_'Oh well, that's clear if he's Godric's great grandfather,'_ Harry thought, missing the rest of the ghost's words.

"Well, I need to ask the other founders about it," he replied, unsurely.

"Hurry up then and pull through with it. I expect my house to be ready and students to be sorted into it from the next school year onwards. Until you'll be of age and able to become my successor, I shall be the head of house," the ghost requested.

_'The adults will never agree to that,'_ Harry mused, wondering when he'd be able to speak with Ceridwen and the four other founders in private.

"I'll come back tomorrow night, and I expect a positive reply. I'll be at Hogwarts and remind you of your task during the day," Merlin added in a mischievous voice, adding his laughter that annoyed Harry so much before he left right through the wall next to the boy's bed.

_'He'll remind me?'_ Harry thought with a feeling of foreboding. _'I wonder what he's going to do.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry should realise soon how the ghost tried to remind him - apparently by playing pranks on him.

In the morning, Ceridwen contacted him through the ring that she was going to take one of her roommates to her sister and would meet him in the Great Hall.

'All right,' Harry replied, feeling slightly disappointed because he wanted to speak with his girlfriend about his conversation with Merlin as soon as possible. Wrapped up in his thoughts about Merlin and his task, he did not notice how time passed and finally told the others to go ahead, ending up heading to the Great Hall all by himself. Just when he reached the last few steps before arriving at the entrance hall, he felt how a bucket of ice cold water was emptied right over himself. By the time he recovered from his shock and looked up, no one could be seen, however, Harry was sure that no one but Merlin could have been the culprit.

_'Why would I want to help him if he pranks me like this?'_ he wondered as he entered the Great Hall.

"Harry, what happened to you?" Ceridwen asked, horrified, and, without waiting for a reply, cast a drying charm at her boyfriend.

"Merlin happened," Harry whispered, grimly. "At least I think that it was him."

"But why? What happened?" Ceridwen enquired, giving him a sharp look.

'He wants me to build a fifth house, the Merlin house,' Harry informed her, telepathically, causing the girl to roll her eyes in apparent annoyance.

'If you built a fifth house, it would be Potter house and not Merlin house,' she thought back, shaking her head.

"Can you cast a warming spell at me?" Harry whispered, still feeling cold even if he was not wet anymore.

"I could, but it wouldn't prevent you from getting sick," Ceridwen replied in determination. "Let's go to see Helga and get a Pepperup potion for you."

_'That would also give me the opportunity to ask Helga when I could speak with the founders,'_ Harry thought and - to his girlfriend's surprise - agreed.

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After giving Harry a Pepperup potion, Helga instructed him to wait in her office for ten minutes to make sure that the potion worked, and Harry obeyed, glad that Ceridwen remained with him.

"There's something that I'd like to tell you anyway," he spoke up, quietly, when they sat on the sofa in the healer's office.

He explained about Ghost Merlin's instructions, and the founder said, thoughtfully, "I believe that a house for all those who don't fit into the others is not a bad idea. Let's speak with the others after the last afternoon class. I'll inform my colleagues accordingly. Having Ghost Merlin as the head of house is out of the question though," she added, thoughtfully, "especially after showing how irresponsible he is by playing such a prank on you."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Unfortunately, the prank with the bucket of ice water should not remain the only prank that Merlin played on Harry in the near future.

When Ceridwen, Harry and Gawain hurried down to the dungeons for their last morning class, Harry managed to stumble on the way three times, the last time he fell down the last three steps of the staircase.

"Harry, are you feeling all right? What happened?" Ceridwen asked in concern.

"I'm fine," Harry replied, absentmindedly rubbing his slightly sore limbs. "That must have been Ghost Merlin's doing," he added, sighing.

"Yes, I think I saw something white like a ghost's arm or leg over there," Gawain spoke up in apparent excitement. "Why is he playing pranks on you though?"

Harry quickly informed his friend about the ghost's instruction. "He said he'd remind me of the task until I had spoken about it with the professors and received their permission," he explained. "I hope that's it now, considering that we can only speak with them after the last afternoon class."

"I hope so too," Ceridwen agreed, giving him a worried look.

However, just before Harry entered the Transfiguration classroom for his last afternoon class, he saw a white arm appear out of the wall right in front of him. 'There he is again,' he thought to Ceridwen, but before the girl could even look up, the ghost's arm disappeared as sudden as it had come. At the same instant, Harry felt that his head exploded in pain.

'He didn't do anything now, did he?' Ceridwen thought to him, eyeing him in concern, as they took their seats in front of the Transfiguration classroom.

'Bad headache,' Harry thought back, rubbing his forehead. He neither noticed that Ceridwen waved her hand over him twice, nor that she quietly spoke with Godric. However, he grudgingly followed her out of the room, when she instructed him to come with her to see Helga once again.

"I think he cast a spell at you that caused your headache, and Helga will be able to easily reverse it," she told the boy, as she led him to the hospital room for the second time within ten hours.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"Let me get that stupid ghost in front of my wand," Helga said in a voice of which Harry was glad that it was not directed at him. "He won't be able to get our support for his project if he plays such harmful pranks at you. He should know that you're close to a son to us."

Since she refused to let Harry go back to his last afternoon class, Ceridwen, Harry and Helga had tea in the healer's office and discussed the matter with the fifth house in detail, before they headed to the headmaster's office for their conversation with the other founders.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Arriving at Godric's office, Harry first greeted Fawkes as usual, noticing that the phoenix was even more talkative than normally.

#Don't worry, nestling. I'll tell them what to do,# the phoenix trilled, pleasantly, causing Harry to smile.

Harry put the memory of his conversation with Ghost Merlin into the Pensieve and once again chatted with Fawkes, while Ceridwen and the adults watched his memory.

"The idea with the fifth house is not bad," Godric spoke up, when he took his seat behind his desk.

"Yes, but Merlin doesn't deserve a house, let alone as the head of the house," Helga threw in, sounding very angry, when she informed the others about the pranks that Merlin had played on Harry.

"That wasn't all," Ceridwen added and told the adults about the other pranks, which had not afforded a visit to the hospital room.

The discussion lasted until dinner, and the headmaster instructed everyone to come back right afterwards to make a final decision.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"Don't worry, Harry. Even if they decide that you should build the house, we'll all help you," Ceridwen whispered, seeing that Harry barely touched his food.

"I know," Harry replied, feeling very much consoled by his friend's kind words.

"Eat your dinner then," Ceridwen demanded in a no-nonsense voice.

"I still have a headache," Harry whispered back, wondering if the ghost had re-cast the spell once again. "I wonder what Merlin is going to do to me if they don't agree to let me build Merlin house," he added as an afterthought, unaware of just how soon he was going to find out about the consequences.

Back in the headmaster's office, Ceridwen unobtrusively informed her sister about Harry's headache, and once again, Helga cancelled the spell, causing Harry to cast the sisters a grateful look.

"Now how shall we decide?" Godric asked, looking at his colleagues.

"Let Harry build the house, but it shall not be Merlin house, nor shall Ghost Merlin have any responsibilities nor rights within this house, let alone Hogwarts," Helga was the first to reply.

#Let the nestling build the nest for the indecisive chicks, but let it be his own house. He shall be the head of the chicks for a long time# Fawkes trilled, sounding very happy.

"Fawkes suggests that Harry should build his own house," Godric translated. "Fawkes seems to be very fond of Harry for some reason."

Fawkes let out a few happy trills, before he added, #I shall be the nestling's familiar for a long time.#

"So it shall be Potter house," Rowena concluded, smiling fondly at the boy.

_'No,'_ Harry thought, recalling that Ceridwen had already said so at breakfast. However, the adults agreed and decided that Harry should build his own house as the fifth Hogwarts house.

"Of course," Ceridwen suddenly blurted out, staring at Harry. Seeing everyone look at her in apparent surprise, she explained, "Harry bought me a friendship ring, a necklace and a brooch in the future, and they all have the four animals of the Hogwarts crest plus a phoenix on them." She pointed to her brooch. "This must be the Hogwarts crest in the future."

The adults leaned over and closely inspected the brooch.

"Exactly," Rowena threw in. "I've seen this crest before."

"Oh that's why it looks similar to the Hogwarts crest but slightly different. I was wondering about that," Harry said, thoughtfully. "So the symbol of our new house will be a phoenix," he thought aloud, feeling totally perplex at the idea of having his own house at Hogwarts.

"It doesn't have to be a phoenix," Rowena said, gently. "It's completely up to you, my boy. If you choose something different, the future's crest will change accordingly. But considering that your Animagus form is a water phoenix, it seems only logical to make this form the symbol of your house like in my case the raven."

"Yes, that's true," Harry agreed, pensively.

"Well then, Harry," Godric joined the conversation. "Choose a spot, where you want to build your house, and then let's check together if it'll be possible and what each of us can do to assist. I suggest that we meet here again tomorrow after the last afternoon class."

"If that stupid ghost of Merlin bothers you any further, send him to me," Salazar spoke up, grumpily. "I'll deal with him appropriately."

ホグワーツへの組分け

_'I wonder what he'd do to him. He can't kill a ghost now, can he?'_ Harry wondered, as he returned to the Hufflepuff common room, absentmindedly listening to Ceridwen's babbling.

"Shall we go right away?" Ceridwen suddenly asked, pulling Harry out of his musings.

"Go where?" Harry enquired in confusion.

Ceridwen cast him an annoyed look, mumbling something that sounded like "Did you even bother to listen?" However, she merely asked aloud, "Do you still have a headache? Did he attack you again?"

"No it's fine," Harry hurried to reassure the girl. "I'm sorry," he then apologized. "I was wondering what Salazar would do to Ghost Merlin," he explained, grinning.

"Oh that," Ceridwen said, equally chuckling in understanding. "I hope it's something that we can all laugh about. You must be careful though, because he won't like it that the fifth house won't be named after him."

When his girlfriend suggested again to go and check where they could build Potter house, Harry agreed immediately.

"I think I know a good place," Ceridwen said, eagerly, and led him to a spot, which was a little further than the Ravenclaw common room. "Here, we haven't used these corridors here at all so far, but I like them, because they have the real view over the grounds, not only through charmed windows. I think somewhere here would be an amazing spot for a house." She stopped walking at a spot, from where they could see the lake as well as the village of Hogsmeade.

"This is an amazing place," Harry admitted in amazement. "I like that we can see the lake, and if we build a tower here, from the top floors we'll have a great view over Hogsmeade."

"Maybe we could charm the top windows in a way that we could even see what's going on in Hogsmeade," Ceridwen suggested, seemingly excited.

"That's brilliant," Harry agreed. "Rowena will surely be able to invent such a charm for us."

ホグワーツへの組分け

"All right, Harry. It's almost curfew, so we should return to the common room," Ceridwen said after casting a tempus charm at the wall. "Let's bring the others here tomorrow. I can't wait to begin building the house. It'll be so much fun," she added, excitedly.

Harry agreed, and the two friends passed in front of Ravenclaw to return to their house. "How am I supposed to tell Merlin what they have decided?" Harry suddenly asked, causing Ceridwen to scrunch her forehead in thought.

"You don't have to tell me anything," Ghost Merlin's voice suddenly sounded through the hall. "I heard everything from your spy chamber. But I'm going to get my revenge." Laughing aloud, the ghost swept in front of them through the corridor.

All of a sudden, Harry doubled over in pain.

"Harry, are you all right?" Ceridwen enquired, noticing how the ghost in front of them was looking at Harry with a contented expression before he turned around and swept away.

"It's all right now," Harry moaned. "I don't know what that was."

"It was that annoying ghost again," Ceridwen said, grimly. "Let's go."

They continued walking, until shortly before reaching the common room, Harry once again found that a bucket with ice water was emptied over his head.

"Merlin!" Ceridwen shouted, angrily, quickly casting a drying spell at her boyfriend. "Leave Harry in peace."

"I won't," the ghost replied, grimly. "Not before he complies and builds my house."

The two friends exchanged an exasperated look. "Maybe Helga is still in the common room, especially if she noticed our absence," Ceridwen said and ushered Harry into the common room, motioning her sister to follow them into Harry's dormitory.

"What happened?" Helga enquired, knowing that her sister and her ward would never be late if not for a valid reason.

"Merlin happened," Ceridwen informed her sister about the annoying ghost.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Unfortunately, this time the Pepperup potion only helped so much, and when Harry woke up in the morning, his whole body was very sore. _'Stupid ghost,'_ he thought, deciding to try hiding from his girlfriend how miserable he felt. _'I just hope he won't play any further pranks on me.'_

Nevertheless, he could not prevent the ghost from casting further spells at him, and by the time he had to meet the other founders in the headmaster's office, he felt outright ill.

"Harry, what happened?" Helga asked, as soon as she entered the room. "Did Merlin cast further spells at you?"

"I think so," Harry replied, quietly.

The Potions Master jumped up from his seat. "Excuse me for a moment. I'll do something about that insufferable ghost." With that, he stormed out of the office.

'Are you all right, or should we ask them to talk at another time?' Ceridwen thought to Harry, who returned a comforting smile.

"Ceridwen and I explored the corridors behind Ravenclaw and found a spot which we thought might be adequate for the fifth house," he spoke up, hesitantly.

"Show us," Godric demanded and motioned everyone to follow them.

_'I really hope Salazar will be able to do something about Merlin,'_ Harry thought, as he led the founders to the part of Hogwarts, where he wanted to build his own house, slowly getting used to the idea of having a house with his own name.

To his relief, the adults found that the spot, which he had chosen for his house, was suitable for a fifth house. They explored the surroundings for a little while, discussing how Harry wanted the house. When he explained about the idea with the tower and the windows that were equipped with a zoom charm in order to get a closer look at Hogsmeade, Rowena immediately agreed to work on inventing such a charm.

Since the following day was a Saturday, everyone agreed to come back and begin building the Potter common room right after breakfast.

"I hope that Harry will be able to assist tomorrow," Helga spoke up, after casting the boy a critical look. "Come to my office right after dinner and let me check what Merlin has done to you," she instructed him, giving her sister a pointed look.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Ceridwen ushered Harry into the healer's office, Helga cast spell over spell at the boy, before she finally let her wand sink and let out a deep sigh.

"Harry, I'm afraid that Merlin cast a dark spell at you," she said, thoughtfully. "I can only guess what it does, but I assume that it makes you feel any pain as well as the effects of illnesses tenfold. That's why the Pepperup potion didn't work last night. You'll probably need several more doses, and I'm going to keep you here overnight," she added, apparently realising that Harry felt too miserable to care.

"Is there no counter spell?" Ceridwen threw in, worriedly.

"Not as long as we don't know what spell he cast," Helga replied, gravely. "Maybe Sal will be able to question him."

"Perhaps Rowena or Godric can invent a charm that shows which the last spells were that the ghost has cast," Ceridwen suggested.

"I'll speak with them later on," Helga reassured her sister, before she sent her off to the common room.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Just when Harry was about to drift off to a potions induced slumber, Salazar stormed into the hospital room and informed his wife, "Merlin will never bother Harry again."

"Is he gone from the school?" Helga queried, sounding relieved.

"No, he's still at Hogwarts," Salazar replied, smirking, causing Harry to inwardly groan.

Helga stared at her husband. "How can you be sure that Merlin can't harm Harry again if he's still at Hogwarts?" she queried in disbelief.

"I've locked him in," Salazar replied, smirking.

"Did you consider that he's a ghost and able to just float through walls?" Helga enquired.

The Potions Master rolled his eyes. "I have charmed the walls to not let a ghost through, and I've secured the charm with a spell cast in Parseltongue," he explained, causing Harry to sigh in relief.

"Well done, Sal, could you please try to find out what spells he cast on Harry since last night?" Helga instructed her husband.

"I can only ask him, which won't be very efficient," Salazar replied, thoughtfully. "You better ask Rowena to invent a spell that shows which magic he cast."

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Harry woke up in the morning, he was very excited. _'I'm going to get my own house here at Hogwarts. Who will become the head of the house though? I hope not Merlin in any case. To become the head of my own house, I probably need to take my NEWTs and become a teacher,'_ he thought, wondering which subjects existed in the future that they didn't have in his own time. _'My best subject is Potions, but since Salazar is already teaching potions, I'll have to look for something else,_' he mused, before he finally realised, _'Herbology! That's it. I'm going to teach Herbology. I hope the other founders will be all right it.'_ He unsurely looked up, when he heard the door being opened, only to realise, happily, that it was Ceridwen.

"Cerdiwen, I've thought about something," he blurted out in excitement. "Do you think I could teach Herbology after the NEWTs?"

His girlfriend gave him a surprised look, before she began to chuckle. "Of course, Harry. You're predestined to teach Herbology, considering that you built the greenhouse and studied all the future's school books." She remained thoughtful for a moment, before she continued, "Maybe you don't even need the NEWTs in the other subjects, and you can't take the NEWTs in Herbology as it doesn't even exist. Speak with the adults about it."

"All right, let's leave here," Harry replied, eagerly, groaning when Ceridwen kept him back.

"Do you really want Helga to give you detention again?" she queried, rolling her eyes. "Wait a moment, I'll call her."

To Harry's relief, the healer let him go, just with the instruction to be careful to not hurt himself as he'd probably feel all the pain tenfold.

"I'll keep an eye on him," Ceridwen promised her sister with a glance at her boyfriend, knowing how much he disliked it if anyone made a fuss about him.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Right after breakfast, the six founders gathered at the spot, where they wanted to construct the entrance to Potter house.

Harry laid his hand on the wall and spoke with Hogwarts, explaining everything about the fifth house.

"Of course I'll help as much as I can. I'm very happy that you build another house and even happier to have you as the head of it," Hogwarts replied gently. She still sounded very child-like, however, not as babyish as she did when Harry got to know her.

"Thank you so much, Hogwarts," Harry replied, somehow feeling not only happy but also very proud to be able to build another Hogwarts house.

"Now first of all," Rowena spoke up, as soon as Harry released the wall, "you should decide which animal or whatever you wish to become the symbol of your house."

"A phoenix," Harry replied, immediately.

"A water phoenix like your Animagus form I suppose?" Rowena queried.

"Yes," Harry confirmed, smiling. "What do I have to do?"

"First of all, you choose the form of your entrance door," Godric explained. "Do you want it to be a door or maybe a hole like that of a bird's nest?"

"Ah all right, that would be fitting I suppose," Harry agreed, uncertainly.

"Good. Imagine the common room then, the form of its walls," Godric instructed him and taught him the spell that he had to cast to make the common room.

After Harry finished the incantation, he slid his wand back into his robe pocket and held up his hand to hinder the teachers from entering the newly made room through the hole.

"Give me a moment please," he said, quietly, before he stared at the room and concentrated, summoning his wish magic, as he imagined the room in the way that he wanted it.

"All right," he finally said, giving the others a contented nod. _'Oh no, I shouldn't use wish magic at all,'_ he realised, feeling a tremendous headache even if he had not used much magic.

"What did you do?" Ceridwen enquired, curiously, as she stepped into the room behind the adults.

The outer walls were surrounded by magical windows. However, the middle of the room was separated by an extra wall with an opening that led into a smaller chamber.

"You have a room within the common room?" Salazar queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes, I'd like that to become a quiet room, in which students can rest or quietly read," Harry replied and conjured five comfortable chairs for the inner room. "I could also use it to speak with one or more students in private," he added, thoughtfully.

Turning to Rowena, he said, "I'd like to have different kinds of animals all over the walls in this house, but real animals who will be able to speak with the students who are able to speak the respective language. I don't have a clue how to achieve this though. Could you please help me?"

"How about a landscape with grass, sand, trees and a lake for the animals to live comfortably on the walls?" Godric suggested, causing Harry to nod eagerly.

During the following hour, Ceridwen and Harry observed in amazement how the adults turned the outer wall of the inner chamber into a small jungle that was frequented by many different kinds of animals.

"I suggest leaving the outer wall white, so that the common room will remain as bright as it is," Helga spoke up, when they finished the jungle wall.

"Yes, it's brilliant now as it is. Thank you so very much for your help," Harry replied, gratefully, letting his eyes wander around the room in amazement, while the teachers conjured comfortable chairs and sofas along with tables around the outer part of the room.

_'I really like the common room,'_ Harry thought, as he let his eyes wander around the room once more on the way to the Great Hall for lunch. _'It's much cosier than the other common rooms because of its form around the inner chamber, plus it's more interesting because of the animals.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

After lunch, the six founders busied themselves making the dormitories. At the far end of the outer part of the common room was the entrance to a tower, which was not round but rectangular. On each floor, they made the boys' dormitories on the left side, the girls' dormitories on the right side, and the bathrooms on the two other sides. While Salazar was responsible for the stairs, Harry made the boys' dormitories, Ceridwen the girls' dormitories, and Helga the bathrooms. Godric charmed all the girls' dormitories so that boys would not be able to enter the room, and Rowena charmed the windows in all dormitories in a way that the students would be able to zoom into Hogsmeade and see the houses and streets in detail.

Above the seventh years' dormitories, they added one more floor, which was just as big as the staircase with huge windows to all four sides of the tower that allowed a round view over Hogsmeade, the lake and the Hogwarts grounds.

Smirking, Harry added a small alcove on each side, equipped with a bench, causing Ceridwen to chuckle.

"You mean the students can come here for their dates?" she guessed, grinning even more when Harry was unable to hide a blush.

ホグワーツへの組分け

On Sunday morning, Ceridwen, Helga and Harry constructed the interior of the dormitories, before they met with the other founders in the inner room of the common room to discuss how to proceed with the fifth house.

"The problem is that Harry is only fourteen and has not taken his NEWTs yet," Godric spoke up, thoughtfully. "Should we ask Roxana to become head of Potter house until Harry will have at least finished Hogwarts?"

"Should I go and take my NEWTs in the future?" Harry suggested in a small voice, provoking a collective "No!" from the adults.

"Harry, would you be willing to teach Herbology?" Rowena enquired.

"I'd like that," Harry replied, giving the professor a hopeful look.

"All right then, considering that Harry already possesses the knowledge in Herbology to take his NEWTs, which unfortunately don't even exist, I suggest the following," Rowena said, decisively, making the others look at her in expectation.

"Only the first years will have Herbology classes in the first year, next year then the first and second years and so on, until we'll have Herbology as a normal subject like Charms or Transfiguration in a few years' time. If Harry only has to teach the first years during the next school year, he'll have enough time to study for his NEWTs in the core subjects, while he may skip everything else."

Everyone agreed, and Rowena continued, "As to the head of house position, I suggest that Harry and Roxana share the position until Harry has finished his NEWTs."

"Excuse me," Harry spoke up, hesitantly. "I've thought about the matter, and I'd like Ceridwen to share the head of house position with me. I think that for the girls it might be better to have a female head as well, so it would be much better if they had two heads."

"That's a good idea," Helga concurred. "And if you or the students have any problems, which you can't solve due to your age or the lack of experience, you can come to me at any time. We should make a connecting door from the common room to your office as well as a connecting door from your office to mine, so that we'll be able to easily and quickly communicate."

"I suggest that we sort all students anew during the week beginning tomorrow," Salazar, who had so far remained quiet, threw in.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>"The advantage of re-sorting all students now is that we won't have only first-years in the new house, and at the beginning of the new school year, we'll be too busy to re-sort everyone," Salazar explained, apparently aware of the glares of disbelief that he had received from everyone.<p>

_'We're also going to be sorted,'_ Harry thought. _'That's what Sopho meant when he told me the next time he was going to sort me elsewhere.'_ He glanced at Ceridwen, wondering if she would be sorted into the new house together with him. _'Probably not,'_ he thought, sadly, _'considering that her last name is Hufflepuff.'_

"We better begin with the first-years tonight. That way, we can re-sort one class every evening before dinner and end with the sixth-years at the leaving feast on Friday," the headmaster decided, and his colleagues voiced their agreement.

"But no one will move to the new house this week, will they?" Harry asked, glancing at Ceridwen.

"No dear, we won't have anyone move now," Helga replied, giving him a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Harry, you're not alone with your new house. We're all here and assist."

"Thank you," Harry said, slowly letting out the air that he hadn't even noticed he was holding in. "I still feel very uncertain about the matter," he added in a small voice.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following days until his, Ceridwen's and Gawain's re-sorting on Thursday evening, Harry was very excited. However, to his great relief, both of his best friends were sorted into Potter house, just like himself.

"As much as I'm going to miss Helga as our head of house, I'm so very happy to have the two of you with me," he blurted out in relief, as he took the seat between his friends at the Hufflepuff table.

"Let's sit at the Potter table tomorrow for the leaving feast," Gawain suggested, causing Ceridwen and Harry to glance at the still empty, new table that had popped up at the other side of the Gryffindor table.

"Why not?" Ceridwen spoke up, smiling. "Even if we observed the re-sorting, it would be great to have our new housemates all together for once before everyone goes home over the summer."

Harry agreed, and the friends decided to confirm with Helga that it would be all right to do so after the meal.

On Friday evening, the members of Potter house enjoyed sitting at their new house table. _'All the people whom I like most have been sorted here,'_ Harry thought in amazement, suddenly looking forward to having his own house, to which he and Ceridwen could apply their own rules and which they could handle as they thought it would be best.

_'I can't wait for the school year to begin again,'_ Harry thought, _'although the summer holidays are only going to commence tomorrow.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

However, the summer holidays passed much faster than anticipated. With Gawain staying in Harry's room over the whole summer and Potions tutoring every morning, summer assignments every afternoon, time passed in a blur. As soon as they finished their summer assignments, Harry began to work on his lesson plan. _'Thank Merlin I only have to teach the first-years during this school year, so I can make the lesson plan for the second-years next summer,'_ he thought in relief. _'I only need to make every lesson plan just once anyway.'_

Nevertheless, he felt very unsure and even toyed with the thought of travelling to the future to speak with Professor O'Neill about her lesson plans. However, considering that it was only a week before the beginning of the school year when the idea came into his mind, he dismissed it. _'Who knows what effects Merlin's prank will have if I deplete my magic,_' he thought, grimly, when the idea '_Maybe she's still teaching according to my lesson plans anyway'_ crossed his mind, and he smiled in amusement.

Every evening, he discussed his plan with Ceridwen, who did not miss an opportunity to reassure him, but also contributed constructive ideas to his plan.

"Don't worry, Harry, you'll manage," she said, smiling, and suggested to discuss his final plan with Helga and Salazar to hear their opinions.

"I'll do that," Harry agreed, feeling very much reassured.

To his relief, the adults both found his lesson plan adequate and showed him how to copy the future's first-year book for the students, leaving passages out that Harry did not want to include in the first-year's lesson plan.

Finally, Harry had the impression as if he was as well prepared as possible and enjoyed the last day of his holidays together with Ceridwen and Gawain.

ホグワーツへの組分け

At breakfast before the students were going to arrive back, Harry asked Salazar, "Excuse me, sir, but shouldn't we free Merlin before the beginning of the school year? I somehow feel bad, as it originally was his idea to build a fifth house. I feel as if I stole the idea and as a thank you we locked him in somewhere."

"Nonsense," Salazar bellowed. "We still don't know what spell he cast on you, and we're not going to risk having him make more nonsense here at Hogwarts."

"Harry, I fully agree with my husband," Helga added. "Leave him where he is, and there's no reason for you to feel bad about it."

"Exactly," Rowena concurred.

"All right, thank you," Harry replied, feeling how Ceridwen carefully squeezed his hand under the table.

'I'm so excited,' Harry thought to her. 'Will you assist me with the house-meeting tonight?'

'Of course dear, I already told you so,' Ceridwen replied, telepathically. 'Don't worry so much, you'll do fine.'

"Harry," Godric interrupted the boy's musings. "Although you're still a student, you're a professor now. Therefore, you should consider sitting at the head table during meal times."

Harry cast the headmaster a horrified look. "Do I have to?" he then enquired in a small voice.

"No, you don't have to," Rowena informed him in a soft voice. "You may, but you may also sit at your house table together with your classmates."

_'Thank Merlin,'_ Harry thought, relieved.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Almost too soon for Harry's liking, the students arrived, and from the Potter table, where he sat between Ceridwen and Gawain, Harry observed the sorting ceremony. To his surpirse, Sopho sorted ten out of the thirty-eight new first-years into Potter.

'That's a lot,' he thought to Ceridwen, who nodded and smiled in return.

During dinner, when everyone introduced themselves with the first-years, Harry merely introduced himself as sixth year student Harry, however, when the feast was finished, he instructed the whole house to follow him and gather in the common room for a house meeting.

"Where's Potter house at all?" one of the seventh years asked Harry, who explained that it was a bit further than the Ravenclaw common room and that everyone should stay close together.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When they reached the entrance to the common room, Harry introduced the water phoenix in the portrait that was guarding the hole to the students. "This is Marlin, and the password for the common room is 'new home'," he informed them.

#So many nestlings,# Marlin trilled in apparent amusement. #I hope they're going to behave.#

Harry refrained from translating and ushered the group inside. When everyone had found a seat in one of the comfortable chairs, he introduced Ceridwen and himself as sixth year students and heads of the house at the same time.

"I expect everyone to keep to the rules," he continued in a sterner voice. "There will be some rules, which are different from the other houses. For example, every evening, I expect two students from sixth year to spend the evening in the common room in order to help the younger students with whatever questions they might have. We're going to put up a calendar to the wall, in which you can write your names, so that we can make sure to have two older students here every evening. Ceridwen and I will of course participate in this as well, and we will be here at curfew at the latest, so that you'll have the opportunity to speak with us every evening."

He shortly explained about the silence room in the middle of the common room and, seeing that everyone was intensely listening, he explained, "Like Hogwarts has its point system, Potter house has its own system. I'm going to put up the hourglasses for all students at the bottom of the staircase." He pointed to the back of the room. "If you gain points, you will receive a berry in your glass, however, if you lose points, you'll receive a spider. Three berries will make up for one spider."

Noticing that some of the first-years looked outright frightened, he continued in a softer voice, "We'll hold a house meeting here every Sunday evening right after dinner. During the house meeting, we're going to discuss everything concerning our house, and everyone is invited to add topics. And now I believe that the first-years are on the verge of falling asleep, so let's go to bed. Good night all."

After a tumultuous applause, the students retired to bed, apart from a few older students, who remained to comment Harry for his speech and for the ideas he was going to implement to the house.

"I need all of your support," Harry said, sighing. "Don't forget that I'm still a student myself." With that he excused himself to check if all students, especially the first-years, had found their dormitories.

_'This is going to be fun,'_ he thought, when he climbed up the stairs together with Ceridwen, who was going to look after the girls.

During the following weeks, Harry noticed that it was much fun to teach Herbology, and he almost regretted that he could only teach the first-years and not the older students as well. On the other hand, he realised soon that the greenhouse was much too small if he did not only teach the students theoretical knowledge but also wanted them to have practical lessons.

"During the weekend, I'm going to build a second greenhouse," he informed his girlfriend, who was all for it and promised to help.

"Harry, is there any way that you could teach a class for older students who really want to study Herbology?" she asked, slightly hesitating. "I know that you already have a lot of work being a professor and a student at the same time, however, as you know, I want to become a healer, and I'd be really grateful if I was able to acquire some Herbology knowledge."

"Of course," Harry replied, surprised. "We could put up a list in Potter house and ask who else wants to study Herbology and hold just one secret double class, maybe on Sunday mornings," he suggested, giving Ceridwen a questioning look.

"That would be great," the girl agreed, immediately. "I'll make the list," she added, grinning, as she prepared a parchment, putting her own name in the first place.

ホグワーツへの組分け

After the last afternoon class, Harry motioned Ceridwen to go ahead, because he wanted to speak with Helga about the secret Herbology class. _'I don't think anyone can forbid me to teach my own house, but I'll better tell at least one of the adults to be sure,'_ he thought.

"Harry dear," the older witch replied, gently, "As much as I hate seeing you work even more, you're of course allowed to teach the students, especially those of your own house, when and whatever you wish. As long as you treat all students equally in class, no one can say that you favour your own house. Teaching them in private is no problem at all."

_'Thank Merlin,'_ Harry thought, thanked the healer and hurried to the common room, knowing from the experience of the last couple of weeks that the first-years always had many questions or just wanted to talk about their home, their friends or their classes in order to fight their homesickness. _'Good that I made the private room,'_ Harry mused, when he climbed through Marlin's hole after exchanging a greeting with the phoenix.

When he entered the common room, he saw to his surprise that Ceridwen's list, which allowed twenty-five students to fill their names in, was already completely full.

'Your idea seems to have been a good one,' he thought to Ceridwen, as he lowered himself into the seat next to his friends to get a head start on his homework.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry realised soon that it was even more fun to teach the older students, as they asked much more complicated questions that made him often have to promise them to do some research and answer during the next class.

_'Sometime soon, I should go to the future to buy some more Herbology books, for my office as well as for the library,'_ he thought, _'maybe during the Christmas holidays.'_

However, it should not take as long until his next trip to the future.

"Potter," Salazar addressed Harry one Saturday morning in early December, when Helga released Harry after he had spent a whole week in the hospital wing with an infection, from which everyone else had recovered after two days. "I need you to go to the future and run an errand for me." Seeing Harry quirk an eyebrow in silent question, he continued, "I've written a letter to Severus Snape, and Helga has written to Poppy Pomfrey. Please travel to the future and give them the letters."

"Right away?" Harry asked in confusion. _'Yes, it's the weekend, but will I be able to teach my Herbology class tomorrow morning?'_ he wondered.

"We believe that it would be better to ask Severus and Poppy if they know the spell that increases the effects of pain and illness tenfold. We need the counter spell. Alternatively, our future colleagues might know a spell to check the last spells cast by a ghost. Just tell them about your problem and ask them for a solution," Helga instructed him. Apparently noticing Harry's hesitation, she added in a soft voice, "We're worried what'll happen in case you catch a more dangerous illness. Therefore, we'd like you to go right away. Take enough rest in the future and let Hogwarts give you some magic, before you come back."

Harry grudgingly agreed. Although he could understand the adults' concern and in fact appreciated that someone cared enough to worry about him, he was absolutely not in the mood to travel to the future in the middle of the school year.

"May I go and at least tell Ceridwen?" he asked in a small voice.

"Of course you may, my boy," Helga replied in a soft voice. "Please don't misunderstand us. It's not as if we wanted to lose you to the future. On the contrary, I expect you back between now and lunchtime, and I want you to come to see me as soon as you're back." She handed Harry a small phial. "Here, take this with you, you will probably need it."

"All right," Harry replied, feeling slightly consoled at his guardian's kind words. Very relieved to finally be able to leave the hospital wing, he made his way to the common room, searching for Ceridwen.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"Harry!" Ceridwen shouted, as soon as he climbed through the hole. "Thank Merlin I have you back. Potter was very lonely without you," she whispered, pulling him into a bear's hug.

'It's not as if you hadn't spent most of your free time with me anyway,' Harry thought to her, grinning, before his expression faltered. 'Helga and Salazar want me to travel to the future right away,' he informed the girl.

'Oh no,' Ceridwen thought back, seemingly shocked.

'It's all right, don't worry, I'll be back soon,' Harry promised and pulled her into a long kiss, before he left the common room through the connecting door to his office, closely followed by his girlfriend.

Together they stepped through the secret door that led from his office to his own room.

"Be careful," Ceridwen instructed him, waving her wand at the boy to exchange his ancient attire with his future clothes.

"I will," Harry replied, before he wished himself to the future, overwhelmed by the headache that overcame him. He quickly pulled Helga's phial out of his robe pocket, knowing that it had to be a headache potion. _'Thank Merlin,'_ he thought, gulping down the cool liquid, noticing that his headache receded some. A glance at his calendar showed him that he had arrived as intended during the Christmas holidays one thousand years in the future. 'If I had studied here, it would be my sixth year now,' he thought, wondering if it would be safe to just head to the Potions Master's office.

All of a sudden, a new door caught his eyes. _'The connecting door to my office,'_ he thought in surprise. _'It was not here when I came here the last time. Maybe it was charmed to only become visible to me after I knew about my office in the past,'_ he thought, however, decided to not use the door for the time being. _'Maybe it leads into someone else's office now,'_ he worried and decided to just go to see Snape.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The Potions Master greeted him in surprise, however, as friendly as usual. He patiently listened to Harry's explanation and carefully studied Salazar's letter, before he spoke up, pensively. "It must be a very old, dark spell, obviously," he finally spoke up, "but as far as I know, and I'm to a certain extent acquainted with dark spells, it's neither known in our time nor is there a counter spell." He remained thoughtful for a moment, before he enquired, "Where is Ghost Merlin now?"

Harry shrugged. "Salazar locked him in somewhere, probably in his Chamber of Secrets." Unaware of the professor's horrified expression, he continued, "Salazar doesn't allow anyone in there, so he secured his rooms with passwords in Parseltongue. He doesn't know that I'm good friends with his familiar and often go to visit her. I haven't seen Merlin though. Oh well, I never looked for him either," he added, quietly.

"Harry," Snape spoke up, frowning. "What kind of animal is Professor Slytherin's familiar?"

"A basilisk, sir," Harry replied, eagerly. "Her name is Amaterasu, and she's a real cutie. I don't know if she's still alive in this time though."

The Potions Master nodded, grimly, and informed the boy how the Chamber of Secrets had been opened more than fifty years ago and that a girl had died by looking in the basilisk's yellow eyes.

"Oh no," Harry replied, horrified. "Poor Amaterasu. She must have been beside herself with worry. She'd never willingly harm anyone, and she knows that she isn't supposed to go into the school if not during the holidays. There is a spell that Salazar casts over the grounds once a year that makes it safe for everyone to look into her eyes. Probably the spell was not cast again after his death." He let out a long sigh, before he explained about his to-do-calendar and promised to add the matter with the spell for Amaterasu to his calendar, so that his ghost could make sure that the spell was cast on a yearly basis.

"Harry, if you come to see me the next time, I'll have prepared some more entries for your to-do-calendar," Snape offered in a firm voice. "That'll make everything much better and safer for everyone in this time."

"Of course sir," Harry promised, smiling.

"Do you know how to cast that spell?" Snape queried, quirking an eyebrow.

"Of course sir," Harry replied, eagerly. "Shall I go and cast it? But the headmaster..."

"Professor Dumbledore is not the headmaster anymore, so it's completely safe for you to run around Hogwarts now," Snape informed him, smirking. "If you could cast the spell, I'd like to accompany you to the Chamber and visit the basilisk. I'm a snake Animagus and as such capable of speaking Parseltongue, at least when I'm in my Animagus form."

"Oh that's great," Harry agreed, eager to check if Amaterasu was all right in this time. _'Oh well, considering that my ghost is still around here and is probably visiting her every now and then, she'll surely be okay,'_ he thought.

Together, the two wizards headed out to the grounds, where Harry quickly cast the spell, before he invited the professor to accompany him through the small entrance behind the lake.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Amaterasu greeted Harry and the professor, happily, and informed them that Harry had already been casting the spell for a few years now. Harry, the basilisk and the black garden snake with a green, celtic pattern talked about this and that for an hour, before Harry remembered to ask about Ghost Merlin.

"Ah, he'sss still in the room, where my Salazzzar locked her in. He ssaid he'sss evil," she hissed.

"I'd like to asssk him ssomething though," Harry replied and asked the basilisk to show him to the chamber, where Merlin was locked in.

"Over zzzere," Amaterasu grudgingly informed him, glaring at the door to the small room.

"Open," Harry hissed at the door that gave in just wide enough so that he could enter, followed closely by Snape in his Animagus form.

As soon as the door was closed again, Snape transformed back and cast a Lumos charm as well as a Protego charm around Harry and himself in quick succession.

"Hi Merlin," Harry addressed the ghost, who stared at them in confusion.

"How did you manage to get in here?" he queried, "and if you were able to get in here, why did you wait so long? You should have rescued me much earlier."

"What gives you the idea that Mr. Potter came to rescue you?" Snape sneered, casting the ghost a menacing glare.

"I forgot to properly introduce myself, but I'm Merlin," the ghost said, haughtily. "Salazar Slytherin locked me in here."

"I'm fully aware of the matter," Snape replied, causing Harry to cast the professor a grateful look. "We came to enquire about the spell that you cast at Mr. Potter. If you tell us which spell you cast and which counter spell will work against it, we'll consider freeing you from your imprisonment."

"Ahhhh," the ghost replied, sighing. "I can tell you the spell, but I don't know a counter spell." He taught Snape the spell, before he asked, "Could you still let me out of here please?"

"I'm not sure," Harry spoke up, however, interrupted himself when Snape began to speak.

"Only if you swear us a wizard's oath on your magic that you won't harm anyone at Hogwarts ever again."

Merlin sighed again, before he obediently swore the wizard's oath.

"Very well," Snape acknowledged, casting a questioning look at Harry, who nodded in agreement. "You're free to go," the Potions Master informed the ghost, "but remember that we'll be able to lock you in here again at any time."

"Oh well, I promised already," Merlin replied, impatiently, before he turned to Harry. "You're going to go back to the past, my boy, right?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied, giving the ghost a questioning look.

"Could you please come and free me in the past? Believe me, I regret what I did, and I will also swear you a wizard's oath in the past."

Harry sighed and informed the ghost that he had already asked Salazar to free him, however, the founder had refused. "I'm afraid that it won't be possible as long as my guardian is alive, however, I'll remember to free you as soon as possible, even if I'm a ghost by then," he finally promised.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"That didn't really help us," Harry said, more to himself than to the professor, when they left the Chamber of Secrets.

"Maybe we'll be able to find a counter spell," Snape replied, calmingly. "Especially your guardians in the past might be able to invent something adequate. Nevertheless, let's speak with Poppy as well."

"Yes sir," Harry replied, nodding. "I have a letter for Professor Pomfrey from Helga anyway."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Pomfrey waved her wand over Harry multiple times, muttering to herself as she cast spell over spell only to admit what they knew anyway. Harry inwardly groaned, when the healer instructed him to spend at least two days in the future before even thinking about travelling back to the past. However, he gave the healer a hopeful look, when she promised to go to the magical hospital in the morning to enquire about a possible counter spell.

To Harry's relief, Pomfrey did not keep him but allowed him to return to his own room, where she'd come to give him more potions every morning and evening.

_'Thank Merlin,'_ he thought, when he returned to his room, accompanied by Snape.

"Professor," he uncertainly asked, pointing to the connecting door to his office. "Would it be safe to use this door? I assume that the office now belongs to someone else, the current head of house or the Herbology professor."

Snape smirked. "No, the door leads to your current office, however, maybe it would be better if you didn't explore it at this time. You don't want to know everything about the future at this time," he replied, pensively.

Harry let out a long sigh. "Professor, I don't understand all this secrecy. Now I know about the fifth house if that's the problem, but why does my ghost need an office, and why is everyone keeping everything a secret from me?" Suddenly noticing that the professor observed him in what seemed to be clear amusement, he sighed again. "I'm sorry for rambling, sir."

Snape remained thoughtful for a moment, lightly massaging his temples, before he replied in an even voice, "I believe that it has something to do with the fact that your older self is still around in this time."

"My older self?" Harry blurted out in disbelief. "But I met my ghost the other time. How...?" He slowly trailed off, staring at the Potions Master without completing his question.

The professor quirked an eyebrow in clear amusement. "With time, you'll find out. Let me just tell you that your older self is a good friend of mine. I know him well."

_'I heard that before,'_ Harry thought, recalling that Hermione had said something like that when he first met her. "Excuse me sir," he asked, slightly hesitating, "Do you also know Ceridwen?"

Snape smirked, before he replied, "Your older self will have my head if I tell you anything about this time. Let me assure you that you're going to find out everything by yourself over time."

Seeing Harry roll his eyes in annoyance, he added, "I suggest that you get some rest like Professor Pomfrey instructed you. I shall come back and fetch you on time for dinner in the Great Hall."

Harry stared at the older wizard in disbelief. However, the man swiftly left the room, and Harry felt that he indeed needed a nap. He only woke up when Snape returned to fetch him for dinner.

"Sir, is it all right for me to accompany you to the Great Hall?" he asked, sceptically. "Won't my older self be there or anyone else who is not supposed to see me?"

"Only Professors McGonagall, Pomfrey, O'Neill and Lupin will be there tonight and tomorrow night," Snape reassured him. "On Christmas Eve, most of my colleagues will attend dinner, but I don't think that it matters. Everyone knows about you anyway."

"I intend to return to the past the day after tomorrow anyway," Harry replied in a small voice, unsure if he wanted to meet his older self or his ghost again.

"Do you have any plans, while you're here?" Snape asked, colloquially, while they walked through the empty halls of the hibernating castle.

"Yes, I should go to Diagon Alley and buy some more books, especially about Herbology," Harry informed the man. "I think I'll do that tomorrow morning."

ホグワーツへの組分け

As soon as they entered the Great Hall, Harry almost regretted that he had accompanied Snape to dinner, because all the teachers, who were assembled, immediately began to make a fuss about him.

His opinion slightly changed, however, when Professor McGonagall introduced Professor Lupin to him as the best friend of his birth parents. Harry liked the man immediately.

"Hi Professor," Harry shyly greeted the older wizard, who cast him a gentle smile.

"Hello Harry, I'm very pleased to meet you, and I'd like to thank you very much for curing me from Lycanthropy," the professor replied in a friendly voice.

"I didn't do anything," Harry informed the teacher in surprise. "It was Salazar Slytherin who invented the potion."

"Yes, but you brought it here, so that Severus could cure me. You can't believe how happy and grateful I am every single day, when I wake up and realise that I'm not a werewolf anymore. Please inform Professor Slytherin of my sincere gratitude."

"All right sir," Harry replied, smiling upon realising that Lupin really meant what he said.

_'I'd like to ask them if my house still exists in this time, or if it is Merlin house or maybe even abolished by now,'_ he thought, however, he did not find the courage to ask. _'My older self,'_ he mused, _'of course he wouldn't be at dinner, because ghosts can't eat anyway. It's strange, on the one hand, I'd love to meet him and ask a bunch of questions, especially since Hermione and Snape both told me he was their friend, but on the other hand, I didn't really like him when I met him before.'_

Suddenly, he realised in surprise that dinner was already finished and everyone was rising from their seats.

"Harry, would you care for a round of Wizard's chess?" Snape asked the boy, quirking an eyebrow.

"Wizard's chess?" Harry asked back, sure that he had never heard about it before.

"You don't know?" the Potions Master sneered. "What a pity." Smirking at Harry's glare, he offered, "Come with me. I'll show you how to play."

Harry agreed and followed the Potions Master to the dungeons and into his private quarters, where they spent the evening playing Wizard's chess.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the morning, Harry followed the teachers' invitation and attended breakfast in the Great Hall, before he wished himself to Diagon Alley.

To his great annoyance, the shopping street was incredibly crowded on this morning two days before Christmas. _'I should also buy Christmas presents for everyone and birthday presents for my siblings. Helena and Sevvy are already going to be six this month. I wonder in which house they're going to be sorted in five years' time.'_ Completely engrossed in his musings, he did not notice two identical young men cross the street with a huge package on their arms. Only the sound of cauldrons and other items hitting the ground brought him out of his reverie.

"Oh headmaster..."

"... We're sorry..."

"... No Gred, that's not the headmaster..."

"... Right, he's much too young..."

"... Excuse me, sir, but who are you..."

"... You look exactly like Professor Potter," the two redheads, who were obviously twins, continued their tirade for a while, causing Harry to chuckle at their antics.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Harry stared at the twins in confusion. "I am Harry Potter," he replied in a small voice.<p>

The twins exchanged a delighted glance, before they said, simultaneously, "Come with us..."

"... We're Fred..."

"... and George Weasley by the way."

Quirking an eyebrow in silent question, Harry obediently walked between the twins a little further ahead through the alley.

"Are you on a time travel?" one of them asked, giving him a curious look.

"Yes," Harry replied, feeling slightly annoyed at the idea that once again he had met someone who knew more about him than himself.

"You know..."

"... your older self..."

"... gave us the starting money for our joke shop..."

"... so we'd like to show you our shop..."

"... and hope that you'll like it," the twins informed him in their funny sing-song.

"A joke shop?" Harry repeated in surprise. _'What a great idea,'_ he thought, inwardly grinning.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The joke shop was beyond Harry's imagination. Wherever he looked, there were other interesting goods, and several times, he could not help laughing out loud at the idea of trying out this or that on Salazar or Godric.

"Take your time..."

"... and take with you whatever you want..."

"... and everything is free for you of course," the twins told him.

"Of course not," Harry replied, bewildered. "You need to sell your goods."

"Yes, but as our greatest investor, for you, everything is free," one of the twins informed him, causing Harry to vehemently shake his head.

"No way," Harry replied in a firm voice. "I think I'm going to buy some goodies to take with me to the past," he then said, grinning in anticipation. He chose several prank potions as well as an assortment of prank candies along with their antidotes, resolving to only use them on the teachers, so that the students could have some fun.

"Do you want some of the recipes?" he was asked and stared at the twins in surprise.

"Of course not," he replied, firmly. "They're your inventions, and I have no intention to reproduce any of these items in the past."

"Oh all right..."

"... it's just because..."

"... your older self often asks for the recipes to brew some of them by himself..."

"... which is convenient, because we don't have the capacity to brew a large stock of everything," the twins explained, causing Harry to remain pensive for a moment.

_'Is a ghost able to brew potions?'_ he wondered. _'Or did I come to the future at one time and actually remain here? I can't imagine that I'd do that though, especially since I can't bring Ceridwen with me.'_ He toyed with the thought of asking the twins, however, dismissed the idea. _'Maybe it's for a reason that no one tells me anything about my future.'_

"You know..." the twins spoke again.

"... the funniest moment in our Hogwarts time..."

"... was the Sorting at the beginning of our third year..."

"... when you were supposed to get sorted..."

"... When Dumbledore heard that you were living one thousand years back in the past..."

"... he almost destroyed the roof of the Great Hall by accidental magic."

With that the twins couldn't stop laughing, muttering, "It was so funny."

"Only after that..."

"... we got to know you and the fifth house..."

"... and suddenly found ourselves in said house."

"How strange," Harry replied, astonished.

"Yes, it was," the twins agreed.

"But only..."

"... for the people..."

"... who knew about Harry Potter from before that..."

"... not for everyone else."

_'I really don't understand,'_ Harry thought in confusion. _'In a way, I can't wait to become a ghost and attend my supposed to be sorting.'_

Several hours, during which he talked with the twins about this and that, and a huge bag full of prank items later, Harry left the shop, not without promising the twins to come and visit them whenever he came back to the future. He spent the rest of the day shopping for his family, his students and the library, before he finally returned to Hogwarts, noticing in surprise that it was already dinner time.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"Harry, I have good news for you," Pomfrey greeted him, when he made his appearance in the Great Hall. "I've spoken with the head healer of the hospital, and she gave me the recipe for a potion that counters the effects of the curse that Ghost Merlin cast on you."

"Really?" Harry asked in disbelief, giving the healer an anxious look.

"Yes, really," Pomfrey replied, smiling. "Severus had already brewed the potion for you."

Harry stared from the healer to the Potions Master, unable to believe his luck.

"Accompany me to my lab after dinner," Snape instructed the boy, who gratefully agreed.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Harry returned to the past in the morning, he noticed immediately that the potion had to have worked, as he merely felt the usual fatigue and headache after the time travel.

"The magical hospital, I suppose it's the one that you're going to found after your NEWTs, managed to invent a potion that cures the spell Merlin cast at me," he told his girlfriend, who - as usually - was waiting for him in his room.

"Oh Merlin, that's amazing," Ceridwen blurted out, excitedly. "I'm so happy, Harry."

"Me too," Harry replied, returning the smile, before he changed the topic. "My ghost seems to be the new headmaster in the future."

"Your ghost?" his girlfriend asked in disbelief. "Oh well, he must be capable of being headmaster then. Otherwise, the professors wouldn't have agreed to it I suppose."

"Probably yes," Harry replied, shaking his head in confusion at the lot of new information, which he had received during the three days of his travel.

ホグワーツへの組分け

After a detour to inform Helga and Salazar about the success of his travel, Harry gathered Ceridwen and Gawain in his room to show them the prank items, which he had brought from the twins' joke shop.

"These are just amazing," Ceridwen spoke up in apparent amazement. "Those twins seem worse than Salazar."

Harry and Gawain laughed. "Oh right, maybe I should ask Salazar if I may give some of his prank recipes to them," Harry added, thoughtfully, and told his friends what the twins had said about his connection to their shop.

"Harry, is your ghost still able to time travel?" Ceridwen suddenly asked. "I'd really like to meet him. He's one of the founders of a joke shop plus at the same time the headmaster of Hogwarts - and that all as a ghost. How much fun must he be?"

"I don't think that he gave them the money for the joke shop while being headmaster," Harry countered. "After what the twins told me, he only became headmaster when Dumbledore retired during the summer before I went there. Oh well, I'm not exactly sure when they built their shop. Maybe at about the same time," he mused aloud.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"Harry," Ceridwen said, sounding as if she was deep in thoughts. "I know that you can't free Merlin, but could we somehow go and speak with him?"

"Oh right, I fully forgot to tell you," Harry remembered, "I freed him in the future." He informed his girlfriend about the procedure and his promise to the ghost, before he asked, "Why exactly do you want to speak with him?"

Ceridwen smirked. "I want to ask him how to become a ghost. I know that you'll manage to do so, but what about me? Did anyone tell you about me?"

"No," Harry replied, pensively. "I think Hermione once said that she knew you, but if that's because of a ghost or just because of a portrait I don't know. No one tells me anything. Apparently, my ghost has instructed everyone to keep everything a secret for me. The twins told me much about the future, but I'm still totally confused."

"Don't leave me alone," Gawain suddenly threw in. "I want to learn how to become a ghost and remain with you until the future, too."

"Of course," Harry and Ceridwen replied, simultaneously.

Harry suddenly chuckled, remembering what the twins had said of his supposed to be Sorting. "I wished we could invent a way that would allow me to take you with me to the future and back," he mumbled, sighing.

During the following months, Harry used every free minute to research for a spell or charm that would allow him to take his girlfriend to the future with him. However, by the end of the school year, he was as wise as five years earlier.

The idea _'I'll ask Hogwarts'_ suddenly crossed his mind, and on one Saturday night in July, he quickly flashed to the future to speak with the old castle, knowing that the young Hogwarts wouldn't be able to help him in this matter.

Arriving in his room, he took a long nap, before he, well rested, laid his hand against the wall. "Hi Hogwarts," he whispered.

"Hello my dear," Hogwarts replied, gently. "How nice of you to come and speak with an old woman."

Harry chuckled. "For an old woman you're keeping up nicely," he replied, highly amused. "I'd like to ask you for an advice," he then said. "Do you have an idea if it's somehow possible to bring Ceridwen to the future with me?"

Hogwarts let out a long sigh. "Harry, my boy, are you still trying to search the future? I'll give you my advice, even if you might not like it."

"All right," Harry replied, feeling slightly anxious at the castle's words.

"Go and visit your older self in the headmaster's office and ask him to tell you everything," the castle continued in a firm voice. "Afterwards, you'll return to the past and never time travel again if not for an emergency."

_'Hogwarts was right,'_ Harry thought, sadly. _'I really don't like her advice. But I know that I can fully trust her, so I better do what she said.'_

"All right Hogwarts," he replied in a subdued voice, deciding, _'Before I go back to the past, I'll buy a huge load of magical and also Muggle books about various topics.'_ Sensing that the castle filled up his magic, he absentmindedly thanked her, before he released the wall.

_'I'll go to Diagon Alley first,'_ he resolved and wished himself to London.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Knowing that he had as much time as he needed, he first paid the Weasley twins a visit, glad that he had remembered to grab his present for them before coming to the future. He handed them a small booklet with prank potions and explained that Salazar had invented them and had allowed him to give them to the twins.

"He doesn't know that I can read Parselscript though," Harry added, chuckling.

"Parselscript?..."

"... but that looks like normal English," the twins replied, seemingly surprised.

"Yes, because I translated it into English for you," Harry replied, dryly.

"Why does he write in Parselscript?" the twins asked, simultaneously.

"Because he doesn't want others to read it," Harry informed them, grinning as he continued, "but since he's not alive in this time anymore, he surely won't mind that you received a translation."

The twins were over the moon with joy and thanked the younger wizard profusely, who merely grinned and said, "Have fun with the recipes."

"We'll surely have," the twins replied, chuckling in anticipation, and handed him a large package with the inscription 'WWW'.

"Here, take these with you..."

"... our newest inventions," they informed him, grinning mischievously.

ホグワーツへの組分け

With that, Harry made his way to Flourish & Blotts and later to Muggle London, from where he returned to Hogwarts late in the evening, carrying a huge bag that contained hundreds of shrunken books. He left the bag in his room and mentally readied himself for the encounter with his ghost, taking a deep breath, before he finally hesitantly opened the connecting door to his future office.

He stopped dead in his tracks at the scene that greeted him.

The office did not look much different from Dumbledore's time as headmaster, which Harry had once observed from the spy room. _'Oh stupid me,'_ he thought. _'I should have gone to the spy room to look in here beforehand.'_

A much older Harry, very much alive, not a ghost, was comfortably sitting on a sofa next to a much older Ceridwen and with Fawkes perched on his knee. Ceridwen was gently petting the bird's head feathers. Both looked up when Harry suddenly looked through the door.

"Ahh my younger self," older Harry said in a gentle voice. "Come in, little one. Actually, we were wondering when you'd come."

Harry stared at the old wizard in surprise. "Why all this secrecy?" he asked in an upset voice. "And Hogwarts told me I wouldn't be able to time travel with Ceridwen, so how come..." He slowly trailed off, when his older self held up a hand to stop his tirade.

"I never time travelled," Ceridwen spoke up, smiling at him.

"Sorry for the small masquerade with the ghost," her husband said, unexpectedly.

Harry stared at the old couple in confusion.

"Do you remember that you stole a stone from Dumbledore and drank the Elixir of Life together with Ceridwen?" older Harry queried, quirking an eyebrow at his younger self.

"Yes," Harry replied, wearily.

"Well, we're both still alive. We didn't travel here. We're one thousand and eighteen years old," older Harry revealed. "But if I had told you that when you came here as a first-year, you'd have spent weeks worrying about how to do that, although in fact, it just automatically happened. Wasn't it better this way?"

"Probably yes," Harry had to admit.

"That's why I placed a charm on myself that made me look like a ghost at that time. By the way, I have a few errands for you to run," older Harry said in determination. He rose from the sofa and stepped around his desk.

_'He's more than thousand years old? He doesn't look it though,'_ Harry thought, suspiciously, looking up, startled, when older Harry handed him a parchment.

"Please add these errands to your calendar," he said in a grave voice. "I failed to do these and only realised what had to be done too late, but you'll be able to remedy these."

_'Prevent the Statute of Supremacy, in which the wizards enslaved the elves as the __result of the human - elven war, which took place from 1252 to 1256,'_ he read in surprise and was just about to continue reading the next point on the list, when Ceridwen turned his attention to her.

"Harry dear, don't worry about anything and also tell my younger self to do so," she said with the smile on her face that Harry loved so much. "You'll both be able to cope well with everything. Just don't change the future more than absolutely necessary."

"Exactly," her husband added. "These five points need to be remedied, but everything else just has to take its course. There will be several tasks for you, especially here in the future, which I haven't listed here as you will get to know what to do on time, but don't worry. You'll do fine."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Feeling partly upset, partly relieved and still slightly confused, Harry returned to the past, deciding to keep the matter from everyone but Ceridwen. _'Maybe I even shouldn't tell her right away,'_ he wondered.

He absentmindedly explored the package that he had received from the twins, noticing in surprise that it did not only new prank drops and potions but also a book with recipes. _'This is interesting,'_ he thought, leaving the book out on his desk with the intention to try out some of the potions before the beginning of the school year.

However, the following weeks turned out to become very busy, and before he was able to even think about brewing anything funny, a completely new problem arose for Harry.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One morning, just a week before the beginning of the new school year, when Harry was just about to finish his lesson plan for the second-year's Herbology class, he woke up and took in his surroundings, suddenly feeling utterly miserable.

_'Oh no, what's that?'_ he thought, horrified. _'Everything is completely blurry.'_ He quickly shut his eyes again to prevent himself from getting sick from the strange feeling and remained in bed until Ceridwen came to call him for breakfast.

"Ceridwen, I think I'm ill," he said, carefully trying to open his eyes again. However, his vision had not improved at all.

Hearing his girlfriend say, "Close your eyes and wait. I'll call Helga," he immediately obeyed.

Unfortunately, neither Helga nor Salazar were able to find out what was wrong with Harry. They kept him asleep most of the week, and on the last day of the holidays discussed the problem with the other teachers at dinner.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that no one noticed a small movement towards the doors that opened and closed like by ghost's hand.

Only when six-year-old Severus stormed back into the Great Hall, everyone looked up in surprise.

"Here," the small boy shouted, pressing a book into his father's hand. "I'm so sorry," he added, tears beginning to leak from his eyes. "I brewed a prank potion for Harry, but I didn't want to make him ill."

Salazar stared from his son to the book in disbelief. "Where did you get this book?" he enquired in a stern voice.

"It was on Harry's desk in his room," Severus admitted, crying. "I'm sorry."

"I hope you're sorry," Salazar growled, as he skimmed the book for the antidote. "Come with me and assist," he instructed his son.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Two hours later, Harry was cured. He profusely thanked the Potions Master, before he busied himself finishing his lesson plan, checking on his house and erecting a restricted section in the library, which he charmed to not let anyone younger than seventeen years in. The book with the prank potions became the first book in the restricted section.

"When in the world did you get that book?" Ceridwen asked later in the evening, when the young couple was sitting on the top floor of Potter house, enjoying the last quiet evening for the next ten months.

Harry let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, dear," he apologized, before he told his girlfriend about his trip to the future, probably the last for an eternity.

"We're both alive one thousand years in the future?" Ceridwen blurted out in disbelief. "I feel already tired when I even think about it."

Harry chuckled. "Yes, that's true," he agreed. "I'm just glad that you're going to be with me the whole time. Anyway, I think we better keep this information for us, at least for the time being."

"Can we tell Helga?" Ceridwen asked, giving her boyfriend a pleading look.

"Of course," Harry gave in unable to deny his girlfriend anything, "but no one else please."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry's seventh year passed fairly uneventfully. He was very busy with classes, as he wanted to abandon as few subjects as necessary in favour of his Herbology classes. He merely gave up Horse Riding and Flying and had to miss one of his three Latin classes a week due to the second years' Herbology class. He also continued his secret Herbology class for his house on Sunday mornings, which was still his favourite class, as it was the most interesting.

After the Christmas holidays, Ceridwen and Harry began to plan their wedding with the help of their family. It was decided to hold the ceremony on the Hogwarts grounds right after the beginning of the school year, so that the students were able to remain at the school if they wanted to attend the ceremony.

"Who would want to attend our wedding anyway?" Harry asked, doubtfully, causing Ceridwen to chuckle.

"All female students," she replied, grinning, knowing from assisting her sister in the hospital room from time to time that her soon to be husband was the dream of most of the female students.

While Harry was going to remain at Hogwarts after the NEWTs as the Herbology professor and Potter head of house, Ceridwen would remain as Helga's assistant, while building the magical hospital at the same time. When the hospital was ready, she was going to work at the new building together with her mother Heather.

"I'll need someone to provide me with potions," she voiced one evening, when the founders were gathered in Helga's office to discuss the matter with the hospital.

"I can brew potions for you," Harry spoke up, readily. "Next year, I still only have to teach the first, second and third years, so I'll have much time, and when Severus will be older in a few years' time, he'll surely be able and hopefully also willing to take over for me."

"Rubbish, Thunderbolt," Salazar growled, making Harry stare at him in surprise, not only because of his guardian's use of name for him.

"You must take your Potions Mastery, before you'll be allowed to give anyone a potion, just like Ceridwen has to get through her Healer's exam, before she'll be qualified to work as a healer. The same goes for Severus, who will surely be able and probably willing to become your successor as Potions Master for the hospital."

"Yes, but I can work as mum's assistant," Ceridwen gave back, "and Harry is as qualified to brew potions as mum."

"I'm going to teach you," Salazar told Harry in a voice that tolerated no contradiction. "Next summer, you'll be able to become a Potions Master.

"All right, sir" Harry confirmed, giving the Potions Master an appreciative look.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The NEWTs went well, at least Harry found them relatively easy, however, before he could enjoy his free time without studying, he and Ceridwen became busy with the last preparations for their wedding.

The weather on the first day of the summer holidays was bright and sunny, and the whole school gathered on the grounds. To Harry's surprise, not a single student had been picked up by their parents, as everyone wanted to witness the wedding of the heads of Potter house, who were young, kind and well liked by everyone.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry was extremely excited, when Rowena led him out onto the grounds. To his surprise, not only the complete student body but also the entire village of Hogsmeade seemed to be assembled. A collective gasp followed by a huge applause could be heard when Ceridwen appeared in the entrance doors.

_'She's beautiful,'_ Harry thought, feeling very happy that the girl whom he had known and loved for almost seven years was going to become his wife during the next hour.

'You're wonderful,' he though to the young lady, who returned her beautiful smile.

'Dito Harry,' she thought back. 'These green dress robes really suit you well.'

Harry inwardly rolled his eyes as he remembered his small fight with Godric and Rowena, who had made the robes for him and insisted he had to wear them for the ceremony.

While Godric performed the ceremony, Harry could not take his eyes from Ceridwen, feeling so happy that he completely missed Godric's words and only realised that he had to reply, when Godric asked in a louder voice, sounding slightly impatient, "Harry Potter, do you want to take Ceridwen Hufflepuff to your wedded wife and love her with all your magic until death parts you?"

"Yes sir," Harry replied in a firm voice and shot Ceridwen an apologetic look, inwardly sighing in relief when she responded positively as well.

After they had received and exchanged their rings, Ceridwen and Harry had to greet all of their wedding guests, which took a long time and much patience on Harry's side, who secretly wished that he would be able to just wish himself to the future together with his beautiful wife.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Even if Harry was glad when the ceremony was over, as he greatly disliked being in the spotlight and for a whole day at that, as much had everyone else enjoyed the ceremony that remained one of the main topics in Hogsmeade for an entire year.

In the evening of the wedding, Helga and Rowena motioned the newlyweds to follow them and led them to the corridor, in which the founders' quarters as well as Ceridwen's and Harry's rooms were situated.

"We thought that you need your own quarters together," the witches told them, when they guided the youngest founders into their new rooms.

"Oh that's great," Harry blurted out. In fact, he had already considered connecting Ceridwen's and his room, however, since at least his room was still the same in the future as it had been so far, he hadn't done anything yet.

"Thank you very much," Ceridwen agreed, smiling. "I'm so very happy today."

"Me too," Harry added, carefully pulling his wife into a long kiss.

By the time they parted, they found themselves alone in their new rooms.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Apart from Harry's Potions lessons with Salazar for the Potions Mastery and setting up his lesson plan for the third year class, Harry spent the summer holidays working on constructing the hospital building together with Ceridwen.

In the same way as with the greenhouses, they presented the new building to Hogwarts, who engulfed it with her magic, and an instant later, the hospital's features took on the usual Hogwarts traits. The inside was much more work, and Godric assigned a dozen of the Hogwarts elves to the newly founded hospital.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Too soon, the holidays came to an end and the students returned for the new school year. "It's strange to sit at the head table," Harry whispered to Ceridwen, when they took their seats together with the other teachers.

"Yes, Professor Potter," she whispered back, grinning.

_'But still I'm looking forward to the school year,'_ Harry thought, although his happy expression changed to a slight frown upon realising that Sopho sorted fifteen out of the thirty new students to Potter house.


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>The Sorting was topic of an impromptu staff meeting right after Ceridwen and Harry had finished their house meeting.<p>

"Sopho, can you explain why you sorted half of the students into one house?" Godric asked the hat.

Harry observed with interest how the hat, who had already sorted him twice, straightened his brim and replied in a bored voice, "Because the students asked me to sort them into Potter."

Helga shook her head in annoyance. "Apparently, word has gone around that Potter house has the youngest and nicest heads of house," she said, sighing.

"Sopho," Godric spoke up again. "I believe that I've charmed you to sort the students according to their character and not to their wishes."

"Yes, I'm sorry," Sopho replied, remorsefully. "From now on, I won't listen to the students' wishes anymore."

Hearing Salazar mumble something that sounded like "About time," Harry thought, _'Well, I'm still grateful that he listened to me and sorted me together with Ceridwen. Who knows where I'd have ended up otherwise.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry's first year as only a professor and not a student anymore passed uneventfully. Salazar kept him busy with the brewing for the Potions Mastery, however, due to the small number of classes that he had to teach, Harry still found much time to speak with his students, especially with the homesick first-years in his own house.

However, somehow, it was strange to not have any classes together with Ceridwen anymore. He only saw his wife, who was spending the whole day with her sister or her mother, at the meals in the Great Hall and then after dinner, when they spent the evening together in the Potter common room.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the summer, when Harry finished his Potions Mastery, Ceridwen took her healer's exam, and on the first of September, Ceridwen and Heather opened the new hospital under the name 'Hogwarts Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries'. Besides being the Herbology professor at the school, Harry became the official Potions Master for the hospital.

Perhaps due to its closeness to the Hogwarts school, which was already known all over Britain's magical world, the hospital was soon accepted by wizards and witches all over the country. By Christmas, Ceridwen and Heather had already so many patients that they had to employ two mediwitches. Ceridwen's father Heath helped his family by becoming the caretaker for the school and the hospital.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One evening after curfew, almost thirteen months after the hospital had been opened, Ceridwen motioned Harry to join her on the top floor of Potter house for a while.

Harry let himself sink onto the bench next to his wife and gently laid his arm around her back. "We haven't come up here for a while," he said, letting his eyes wander around the landscape. "It's really beautiful here."

"Yes, it is," Ceridwen agreed in a soft voice. "I'm sorry for being so busy recently, but I promise that I'm going to remedy that now." Seeing Harry give her a questioning look, she smiled and told him, "We're going to be parents."

Harry's eyes widened with a combination of surprise and delight. "Really? But that's just wonderful. You're amazing."

Ceridwen merely smiled and said, "Mum told me this morning."

"What is it?" Harry asked in excitement, causing Ceridwen to chuckle.

"It?" she asked, grinning, only to add, "Not it. They."

"Twins?" Harry blurted out in disbelief, staring at his wife.

"Yes," Ceridwen admitted, smiling. "Two boys."

"Oh Merlin," Harry replied, chuckling in anticipation. "What are we going to name them?"

Ceridwen grinned. "That's for you to think about during the next eight months. Although I already have an idea," she added, more to herself than to her husband.

As his wife had instructed him, Harry spent the following eight months thinking about male baby names. However, when Ceridwen brought up the topic again a month before the twins were scheduled to be born, he let out a deep sigh.

"I've no idea," he said, giving her a hopeful look. "Maybe Heath and Harry?" he asked, tentatively.

Ceridwen nodded. "Yes, that's not bad, but I'd prefer to give them dad's and your name as second names. For the first names, I'd like to have something special. You know if I call out "Harry", both of you would think I'd be talking to you. It's the same with popular names like, for example, David."

Harry nodded in understanding. Currently, there were three boys at Hogwarts whose first name was David, two of them in Potter. He looked up with interest, when Ceridwen continued to speak.

"My idea is to choose some names from the future, which are naturally rare in this time. What about, for example, Fred and George?"

"You want to name them after the greatest pranksters that Hogwarts is probably ever going to see?" Harry replied in surprise. "I'm fine with it though. I really like those twins."

"Yes, they seem very funny, from what I've seen in your memories," Ceridwen agreed. "Even if our sons are never going to get to know them, it'll be nice for us to give them the future twins' names."

ホグワーツへの組分け

It would not take longer than three years before the new parents were going to notice how fitting the older pranksters' names were for their twins. Helena and Severus, who were ten years old when the twins were born and had grown up like twins themselves, were very fond of them and, as soon as their small cousins were able to learn, they began to teach them whatever came into their mind. While Helena taught them to read and led the twins into the greenhouses, where she often helped Harry with the plants, Severus brewed easy potions with them using his toddler's potions kit that Harry had bought for him in the future. However, the older children also showed the smaller twins how to play pranks on teachers and students equally.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The twins were born at the beginning of the summer holidays.

"They're sooo cute," Harry blurted out in amazement, "but how do you distinguish them?"

Ceridwen chuckled. "I just know which is which," she replied, thoughtfully observing the boys' heads.

The twins' faces had both Ceridwen's features along with Harry's black hair and green eyes.

"Usually, babies have blue eyes, but they're both green, probably because their magic is very strong," she informed the amazed father. "Look here, Fred's nose looks a bit like yours, while George's is exactly like mine. If you look at their noses, you'll be able to distinguish them."

Harry groaned in annoyance. "Well, yes, if you say so, I can see it, but only if the two of them are next to each other. What if there's only one of them?"

Ceridwen grinned. "That's for you to find out, Daddy."

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Cerdiwen's and Harry's surprise, Helena and Severus were both sorted into Potter, causing the heads of Potter house to wonder if the two had somehow managed to bribe Sopho into sorting them according to their wishes. Fortunately, the headmaster did not suspect anything, even if he probably would have preferred his daughter to become a Gryffindor, and did not question the hat again. At least, Sopho sorted the students into the five houses in a relatively equal way.

ホグワーツへの組分け

While the twins were babies, Helena and Severus helped Helga to look after the tiny twins. However, when they became first-years, Harry decided to take the twins to class with him.

"How are you going to keep them seated next to you?" Ceridwen asked, worriedly. "Now that they can walk and run on their little feet, you won't be able to prevent them from disturbing your class on a great scale."

"That's true," Harry admitted, sighing. "Ceridwen," he continued, slightly hesitating, "I know that I said I wouldn't travel to the future anymore, however, I know that I saw something in the baby shop when I first bought presents for Helena and Sevvy. Let me go for a quick trip. I promise that I'll be back in a few minutes."

Ceridwen only grudgingly agreed, merely because her husband had already much experience time travelling. "Please be careful and take enough rest before you return here," she instructed him, pulling him into a long kiss, before she finally allowed him to leave.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry chose the day after the date, on which he had last visited the future, for his arrival. Without visiting anyone, neither at Hogwarts, nor at Diagon Alley, he made his way to the shop for baby articles, where he did not only buy a large playpen that was big enough for a couple of twins, but also several other items for small children. Afterwards, he made his usual trip to Flourish & Blotts, where he bought a few piles of books, mainly from the children and Herbology sections, but also a few other books for the library. Finally, he visited the toy shop and bought two toddler's potions kits and two toddler's herbology kits. _'It's still early for those, but in case I don't come to the future during the next two years, it's better if I buy them now,'_ he thought, as he left the shop, feeling very contented with his shopping.

Back at Hogwarts, he took a nap, not wanting to ask Hogwarts for magic, since she had been the one who had told him not to travel to the future anymore, before he returned to the past.

ホグワーツへの組分け

A smile of relief passed over Ceridwen's face, when Harry reappeared just a few minutes after he had left.

"That was fast," she said, contentedly.

"Oh well, I spent about eight hours in the future," Harry explained, "one hour at the baby shop, three hours at the book shop, ten minutes at the toy shop and two hours napping." He quickly enlarged his luggage and showed her the playpen for the twins, which were equipped with a thick blanket with a pattern of several animals. The babies could touch, pull or press certain parts of the animals that caused them to make different sounds, depending on the kind of animal.

"This is amazing," Ceridwen commented, "although it doesn't seem magical at all."

"Some parts are magical, others aren't," Harry replied, pointing to a Snitch that began to move around the playpen as soon as a hand reached out for it. The faster the hand moved to touch it, the faster the small ball fled.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"By the way," Ceridwen suddenly asked. "When are you going to introduce Quidditch?"

Harry let out a long sigh. "I know," he then said. "I meant to introduce it years ago, when I brought the first brooms from the future. But somehow I didn't get around to do so. I'll think about it. Maybe we could introduce it during the next school year. I'll speak with Cailean about the matter. As the Sports professor, it should be him to introduce Quidditch."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Their conversation was interrupted when Helena stormed into the room. "Sorry to disturb you, but Helga sent me," she gasped, catching her breath. "Fred and George have pulled all the books out of the shelf in her office..."

"Oh no," Harry interrupted the girl. "I'm coming."

From that time onwards, Harry always took the twins to the classroom with him, where he placed the playpen next to his desk, far away from any dangerous plants and with a silencing charm cast around it, so that the animals' sounds would not disturb his students.

_'I'll be able to keep them in the playpen maybe until they're three if at all,'_ he thought one day. _'Then they'll have to sit on chairs. Maybe I should ban all dangerous plants to the second greenhouse. Perhaps we should also think about hiring someone to teach them primary school knowledge.'_ His thoughts developed, and when he was at home in the evening and the children were in bed, he presented his wife a new idea.

"What do you think about adding a primary school to Hogwarts?" he asked, causing Ceridwen to stare at him in surprise.

"That's a fantastic idea," she immediately agreed. "We could ask Rowena's and Salazar's mothers to teach it. They've always taught all the Hogsmeade kids."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Since the twins were still small, neither Harry nor Ceridwen saw any urgent need to take action. However, when one day Gawain came to visit them, stating that he had given up his job at the Ministry of Magic, they offered him a position at the soon-to-be-built primary school and finally began with the planning.

The other four founders immediately agreed with the idea, however, Rowena suggested, "Why don't you use the so-far unused parts of the Hogwarts main building for the primary school? We could even make a side entrance just for the primary school on the Hogsmeade side of the main building."

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the summer, when the twins were three years old, the Hogwarts Primary School opened its doors for all magical children from the age of four onwards.

"Daddy is mean..."

"... We want to attend school..."

"... and have much fun, too," the twins complained vehemently, when their parents told them that they had to wait another year before they were allowed to learn at the primary school.

"Ahhh, such a boring life you're having," Salazar threw in, smirking. "How about brewing some fruit drops with Uncle Salazar?"

"Yes," the twins replied, simultaneously, already knowing that brewing fruit drops meant a long walk into the forest to pick berries and then brewing together in Salazar's lab.

Both boys were not only very interesting in herbs and potions but also very adept at potions. Since Harry spent several hours each day brewing potions for the hospital, he had begun to teach them using their toddlers' potions kits from an early stage onwards.

Nevertheless, the twins were bored beyond belief attending all the same Herbology classes again, and when they accompanied their parents to the Potter common room, they often spoke with Helena and Severus about possible pranks.

While Helena, who was not only very interested in Herbology but also brilliant in Transfiguration, taught the twins easy spells, Severus secretly took the twins into the Potions classroom, where he helped them to brew prank potions for their parents or the teachers.

However, when Harry once spiked a crocodile's head one evening, on which he needed to brew an urgent potion for the hospital, he forbade Severus to teach the twins any more prank potions.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry was incredibly relieved when the twins were old enough to enter the primary school and then when Severus finished his Potions Mastery - right after the NEWTs due to his father's tutoring - and became his successor as the Potions Master for the hospital. _'Thank Merlin, being the Herbology professor and head of Potter is enough work,'_ he thought one evening, as he retreated to his office to grade homework. _'Godric must be equally happy that Helena became the Transfiguration professor, so that he only has to teach Sword Making and Sword Fighting apart from being the headmaster,'_ he mused. _'I wonder which subjects the twins are going to excel in if there will be any. Maybe Herbology and Potions, considering that they already had many teachers in these areas.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

Unbeknownst to Harry, while Helena and Severus were still students, they once stole themselves into the headmaster's office together with the smaller twins and explored Godric's Pensieve. At that occasion, the seven-year-old twins learned where their names had come from.

"Big Fred and George have their own joke shop..."

"... how cool is that," they blurted out in excitement, causing Helena and Severus to exchange a mischievous look.

"Yes, it's called 'WWW'. Your dad has several boxes from them in his own room, and he even owns a book from them," Severus informed the small boys. "It's in the restricted section of the library though," he added, noticing how the twins exchanged a mischievous glance.

Ever since this day, the twins held a silent agreement to found a joke shop after taking their NEWTs. However, they knew better than to tell anyone about it, not even Severus or Helena, who'd surely support their idea.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was a few days before the twins were going to become students at Hogwarts that Fred and George asked their father, "Dad, do you know a prank that we could play on Sopho?"

Harry stared at his sons in disbelief. "You want to prank the Sorting Hat?" he asked, incredulously.

"Yes..."

"... Helena told us..."

"... that Uncle Godric told him to not listen to the students' wishes..."

"... but we want to remain together..."

"... and we want to be sorted into Potter," the twins informed their surprised father.

Harry remained thoughtful for a moment, before he replied, "First of all, Sopho is a magical artefact, and I doubt that it'll be possible to play a prank on him. Secondly, even if you succeeded, he'd only be upset at you and surely not listen to your wishes. Thirdly, since you're both Potters, I'm fairly sure, even if not one hundred percent, that you'll end up in Potter house anyway."

"But Mum's a Hufflepuff..."

"... so we might become sorted into Hufflepuff, too," the twins contradicted, wearing troubled expressions.

Harry inwardly rolled his eyes. "Listen," he said, quietly, "I very much hope for the two of you that you'll be sorted together, but if not, remember that you can always come home and study together in your own room. Concerning the house, I think it doesn't matter at all. You'd be able to do well in any house."

"But we already have so many friends in Potter," Fred moaned.

"Yes, in any other house we'd have to start from the beginning," George agreed.

Harry gently laid his arms around the children's necks. "You'll do well. Don't worry but enjoy the last days of the holidays. Now are you up to helping me in the greenhouse for a while?"

ホグワーツへの組分け

Finally, both children ended up in Potter house, causing Harry to once again wonder if they had managed to bribe Sopho to sort them according to their wishes. To his surprise, he unexpectedly received the answer, when he entered the first-year boys' dormitory to check if everything was all right shortly after the house meeting.

"This morning, when the professors had a staff meeting, we went into the headmaster's office and told Sopho that we'd do something for him if he sorted us together into Potter," Fred explained to his new classmates, who were sitting on the twins' beds listening to the twins' tales in apparent amazement.

"And what did the hat say?" one of the students asked, seemingly impatiently.

"He told us," George continued, "that he'd like us to put a chocolate frog into the headmaster's office and place a never ending duplicating charm on it..."

"... because he wanted to have some fun..."

"... We did that..."

"... and probably flooded the headmaster's office with chocolate frogs..."

"... and apparently Sopho had enough fun to sort us here," the twins ended their explanation.

"Hmm, very interesting," Harry commented, as he stepped nearer, causing the first-years to pale visibly at his sight. "Now get into bed quickly, so that I'll forget what I just heard," he instructed the students, who complied immediately.

"Dad?" George spoke up, tentatively.

Seeing his father turn his eyes to his twin, Fred continued, "Do you know something?"

Harry couldn't prevent a small grin from appearing on his face, as he remembered how the headmaster's office had been flooded with chocolate frogs earlier. He swiftly bade the boys good night, before he left the dormitory, inwardly grinning. _'Oh Fred and George, you'll not easily forget this prank,'_ he thought, grinning mischievously, as he entered the rooms that he shared with Ceridwen to tell her about his idea.

ホグワーツへの組分け

A few hours later, Harry made a short trip to the future, arriving on the evening of the day, on which he had first met Hermione.


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Not wanting to use too much wish magic, Harry transformed into his phoenix form and flashed to Diagon Alley, where he changed back in a small side street and headed straight to the Magical Menagerie. When he had come here with Hermione to buy a kneazle cat for her, he had seen a toad. It was not a normal toad though. It was extremely special, which is why it had caught Harry's interest at that time.<p>

He immediately turned to the shop owner. "I'd like to buy Wonka," he said, "if possible a pair of them, one male and one female."

The shop owner cast him a surprised look. "Do you know him?" he enquired. "He has to be fed with a cup of cocoa once a day and with a special potion every week."

"That'll be no problem for me," Harry said in a firm voice.

"That makes 250 Galleons for a couple then," the shopkeeper informed him.

_'One was supposed to be fifty,'_ Harry thought in surprise. "Will they reproduce?" he queried, absentmindedly observing the toad.

"If they're happy in their surroundings they will," the old wizard promised. "Where do you intend to keep them?"

"In one of the greenhouses at Hogwarts," Harry replied. "I take them both," he then decided and informed the shopkeeper that he should take the money from the Potter vault.

"They both give about ten frogs per hour if they are fed properly," the man told him.

With the two toads and the recipe for the toads' potion, Harry made his way back to Hogwarts and straight back to the past, wanting to get the toads settled as soon as possible.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"I'm going to keep them in the first greenhouse," he informed Ceridwen. "If a class behaves, they may each have a chocolate frog after their class. But the Potter first-years have to care for them."

"Which means that Fred and George have to brew the potion for the frogs, because no one else would be able to do so," Ceridwen replied in understanding. "Good idea. They'll have fun feeding the beasts with cocoa though," she added, wearing a slightly disgusted expression.

"Exactly," Harry agreed, contentedly. "Maybe it'll prevent them from flooding the headmaster's office with chocolate frogs the next time. If they behave for a while, we can ask the house elves to feed the toads, but for the time being..." He trailed off, grinning.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The two Wonkas soon became the attraction of all students, and even the professors came to the greenhouse to get a glimpse at the toads. Fred and George spent every Saturday morning in their father's lab to brew the potion for them, and in the evenings, the Potter first-years took turns feeding the toads, which was a lot of work, especially as it was very messy. However, the students did not mind and had fun with the toads that always rewarded them with a chocolate frog for each of them.

"Dad..."

"... Why are these toads in the greenhouse?..."

"... It's supposed to be the Herbology classroom..."

"... and not the classroom for magical animals," the twins queried one day, four emerald orbs locking into those of their father.

"That's a valid question," Harry had to admit. "Perhaps we should set up a new class 'Care of Magical Creatures'."

"Oh Dad..."

"... we think..."

"... Ben would make a brilliant professor for that," the twins replied in apparent excitement.

"He always comes and help us feed the toads..."

"... and he's just fantastic with them."

Ben was a Potter seventh year. Harry gave the twins a thoughtful look. "He would make a good professor," he admitted. "Don't tell him anything though. I first have to discuss the matter with my colleagues, and if they agree, I'll speak with him."

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following summer, Harry, Ben and the twins prepared one part of the huge Hogwarts grounds to keep harmless, magical animals, and Harry built a classroom right next to it. Fortunately, Wonka and Wonka decided to have two children just at the right time, and as soon as the babies could be separated from their mother, Ben took them to the new Care of Magical Creatures classroom. Wonka and Wonka remained in the greenhouse, where they had already resided a whole year and seemed to feel at home.

"Dad..."

"... Who's going to teach the new firsties..."

"... to brew the potion for the Wonkas?" Fred and George asked one day, causing Harry to let out a long sigh.

"Since the two of you are so proficient at brewing, how about you just continue brewing the potion?" he suggested. "For every potion brewed you'll receive two berries each."

The twins exchanged a delighted look and immediately agreed. They were always trying to get ten berries into their hourglass, because their parents would give out a special treat to the students who had gathered ten berries by the end of each month. Unfortunately, the managed to get spiders too often, and each spider would eat three berries.

"Don't forget to brew the double amount of the potion, as the babies in the Care of Magical Creatures classroom need it too," Harry remembered to advice the twins, who nodded eagerly.

"We're not going to feed them cocoa though," they replied, wearing the same disgusted expression that Harry had already seen on Ceridwen's face when they spoke about the Wonkas.

"Ben will surely be able to assign the task to his classes," Harry replied, smirking.

_'The Care of Magical Creatures class makes a good addition to our other classes,'_ he thought, wondering if such a class had already existed in the future.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was only after the twins took their OWLs that Harry learned about their intention to follow the future Fred and George twins' footsteps and open their own joke shop.

"Dad..." they cornered him one day.

"... You know the future's Fred and George built their own joke shop..."

"... in the future..."

"... and we intend to do the same..."

"... after finishing Hogwarts..."

"... Do you know..."

"... how we could earn some money to do so?"

Harry stared at his sons with a combination of surprise and shock. "You want to open a joke shop?" he finally asked in disbelief.

"Yes," the boys confirmed, simultaneously.

"Where exactly do you intend to build it?" Harry enquired, knowing that Diagon Alley already existed but was very tiny in this time.

"In Hogsmeade of course," Fred replied, glancing at his brother.

"Severus spoke with his grandmother..."

"... and she told us that the Slytherins have lots of space on their grounds and that we could build it there..."

"... She also suggested to add a small apothecary..."

"... where people could easily get potions..."

"... so they didn't have to go to the hospital just for a simple Pepperup potion or such."

"You won't be able to sell potions if you're not Potions Masters," Harry interrupted the twins' tirade.

_'Other than that this sounds very reasonable though,'_ he thought.

"Severus promised to teach us..."

"... so we'll be able to take the Potions Mastery after our NEWTs," the twins replied, grinning.

"Of course..."

"... it would even more brilliant if you taught us," they added, seemingly honest.

"Very well," Harry agreed. "That would mean that from now on, you're going to spend your entire holidays in my lab."

"Yes, thank you Dad!" the twins shouted, happily grinning at each other.

"I shall speak with Granny and Granddad about buying a small part of land in Hogsmeade, large enough for a combined apothecary and joke shop," Harry promised. "Your granddad will also be able to help me build it, so that you won't need much starting capital."

ホグワーツへの組分け

In spite of using a great deal of their time planning and playing pranks, two years later, the twins finished their NEWTs with the best grades of their year.

"We're very proud of you, boys," Ceridwen said, when the family spent the evening after the students had returned home for the summer at the Hufflepuff's house in Hogsmeade.

"Therefore, we have decided to build your apothecary for you," Harry added, causing the twins to stare at their parents in absolute delight.

"Now," Heath spoke up, "we've checked the possible spots in Hogsmeade, and I've also discussed this with your grandmother and parents..." He paused to make sure that the twins were listening.

"And?" they queried, simultaneously, turning green orbs to their granddad.

"We suggest the empty ground just accross the road," Heath continued.

The Hufflepuff's house was situated right next to the border of Hogwarts, almost next to the magical hospital, which was on the Hogwarts side.

"So this means..."

"... just outside of the Hogwarts wards?" the twins asked, looking from their grandfather to their father in expectation.

"Exactly," Heath confirmed.

"That's great, but..."

"... would it perhaps be possible..."

"... to have one entrance in Hogsmeade..."

"... and one on the Hogwarts grounds?"

"... That way..."

"... the students could also come and buy from us," the twins added, giving their grandfather a pleading look.

"We'll have to speak with the other founders about it," Harry replied, thoughtfully. "But I don't think that it'll be possible because of the wards."

"But the hospital..."

"The hospital is different, because it belongs to Hogwarts," Ceridwen interrupted her sons. "Students will only be able to access your shop if they're together with a teacher."

Seeing that his sons looked extremely disappointed, Harry promised, "I'll see what I can do. Maybe we can organise a visit to your shop once a month."

"What we need are some other shops in Hogsmeade, like, for example, a bookshop," Ceridwen added. "Then it would make sense to allow the students to come here from time to time. With only the clothes shop and the joke shop, it's not interesting enough."

"Well, it would be a beginning," Harry said, thoughtfully. "Perhaps if the people here see that students come to visit the village once a month, they feel more comfortable to open a shop here."

ホグワーツへの組分け

By the time the shop _'Potters Potente Potions'_ opened its door exactly a year later, the village of Hogsmeade also possessed a bookshop, a sweets shop as well as a broom shop. With the beginning of the following school year, the professors introduced a monthly Hogsmeade visit for the whole school. All students were allowed to spend the day in Hogsmeade, however, not alone but in small groups of at least two people. Two of the teachers joined the students in the village to make sure that everything was all right.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry and Helena supervised the first Hogsmeade visit that took place on a warm and sunny day at the end of September. Barely any students remained at Hogwarts, as everyone was eager to explore the village, and Helena and Harry observed the excited students with amusement.

To Harry's surprise, the twins' shop turned out to be the centre of admiration. From morning onwards, students queued outside the entrance door, and the line did not become smaller until the afternoon. Harry observed with a combination of surprise and proud how most of the students left the shop carrying smaller or larger boxes with the inscription _'P.P.P.'_

_'They seem to be doing great,'_ he thought, as he returned to Hogwarts together with Helena after making sure that all students had left the village.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was two years later that the twins once again managed to surprise their father completely.

"Dad..."

"... do you remember Agnes..."

"... and Aileen?"

Harry looked at his sons in surprise. Agnes and Aileen had been classmates of the twins and in Potter house at that. Both of them had been intelligent and diligent students who had often asked for his advice about this or that. _'Of course I remember them, but why?'_ he wondered, when the twins continued to speak.

"We've been going out with them..."

"...ever after our NEWTs..."

"... and we want to marry them..."

"... so we need you and mum to go and speak with their parents..."

"... Please."

"All right," Harry replied, feeling extremely uncertain at the thought of having to speak with the girls' parents. _'At least I know them already, since their daughters were my students during their whole Hogwarts time, and they're both really nice girls. We'll just ask Heather and Heath how to proceed,'_ he resolved.

"I'm glad that they both found so nice wives," Ceridwen said, smiling, when Harry informed her about the matter in the evening. "Mum probably knows them well, so let's ask her to arrange meetings for us. Considering that our sons own the most profitable shop in Hogsmeade, no one would say no if asked to allow their daughters to marry one of them."

As usual, Ceridwen was right, and on the last Hogsmeade day of the school year, the double wedding ceremony took place in the relatively large garden behind the combined joke shop and apothecary. All students as well as the citizens of the village were invited to attend, and all participants were rewarded with a multi-colour quill, which the twins had made after an example that Harry had once brought from the future.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Over the following decade, the village of Hogsmeade continued to grow to a small town, not least because of the hospital and the apothecary and joke shop. Knowing that their children could visit Hogwarts from an age of four years onwards, many magical families considered moving to Hogsmeade, where more and more small shops opened, offering opportunities for work.

Fred and George had both twins, a girl and a boy in Fred's case and two boys in George's, and even before the two couples of twins entered Hogwarts in two successive years, it became already clear that they would see to the continuation of their parents' shop.

Unbeknownst to Harry, one day, Ceridwen told their children about the potion that both Harry and she had consumed while being first year students at Hogwarts. Based on the knowledge that both their parents were immortal, the twins decided to officially make Harry the sole owner of the shop in order to guarantee its succession for a millennium. They only informed their mother about it, while the rest of Britain's magical world assumed that they were the rightful owners.

_'If Hogsmeade continues to grow like this, Diagon Alley will never become what it is in the future,'_ Harry thought one day, when 'The Leaky Cauldron' opened as a pub and a hotel for magical travellers not far from the Hogwarts gates in Hogsmeade.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Only a few years later should Harry realise that his prediction was going to become true.<p>

George's son Heath, who had been named after his great grandfather, was very interested in business. Harry, who still travelled to the future from time to time for one or the other reason, brought several books about modern business for Heath, which the boy studied studiously. After his NEWTs, the people of Hogsmeade entrusted him with the task of organising the settling of possible new shops in the village. As the son of one of the owners of the largest shop in the village and grandson and great grandson of the founders of Hogwarts as well as the grandson of the head healer of the hospital, he was known all over the village and very influential, not least because of his excellent NEWTs. Together with his twin sister Heather, Heath had achieved the best grades of the year, just like his father and grandfather when they were students.

Even if the Ministry of Magic was situated in London, not far from Diagon Alley, the magical shopping street remained very small. If someone thought about opening a new shop, it was Hogsmeade that came into their mind. It was especially easy to open a business in the growing wizarding town, as they merely had to contact Heath Potter to get help, a name that was soon well known in the magical world.

Heath had a very friendly character, just like his father George, and he did his best to find the most adequate area for a possible new shop along with the best possible conditions for the buyer as well as for the village. Not only the closeness to the school, the hospital and the famous apothecary, but also his efforts made Hogsmeade soon known as the largest accumulation of magical shops in Britain. If the wizards and witches wanted to go shopping, they usually apparated to Hogsmeade, where they could find everything that was available in the magical world of the eleventh century.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One evening, Ceridwen and Harry were sitting on the top floor of Potter house, using the charmed windows to look into the streets of Hogsmeade.

"Hogsmeade has completely changed," Harry stated, causing Ceridwen to smile.

"Yes, it has, but it's so much better now than before. I really like it a lot, and I'm proud to be from Hogsmeade, and I'm especially proud as it is all because of you, our sons and our grandchildren."

"Your father helped the children a lot," Harry reminded his wife. "I think Hogsmeade is totally amazing now. On the other hand, I changed the future a lot, which was not my intention and which I probably shouldn't have done."

Ceridwen chuckled. "Of course you changed it," she then said. "You accelerated the knowledge of healing, potions and many other matters one thousand years. You married me and produced children, who are as alert as you and bring forward more changes. I'm looking forward to see how some things turn out in the future in contrary to your original future, even if I only know it from what you told me and from the memories that you placed into the Pensieve." Apparently realising that Harry did not seem overly convinced, she added, "Don't worry, my dear. You only changed things for the better, not for the worse, and I'm very proud to be your wife."

"I love you," Harry whispered, before he covered her mouth with his lips.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day, Godric called Harry into his office. "From the first of September onwards, I'm going to become the Minister of Magic," he informed his colleague. "I'm still going to live at Hogwarts together with Rowena, Helena and her children, however, I won't be able to remain the headmaster."

"Oh no," Harry said, knowing that Godric had been a wonderful headmaster. "Congratulations to your new position," he added. "I'm happy for you, but I'm going to miss you as the headmaster."

"Nonsense," Godric replied, smirking. "You're going to make an at least as good headmaster, Harry."

"Me?" Harry asked, horrified. "But I'm the Herbology professor," he added in a small voice.

"Does it matter?" Godric enquired. "You've got more than one thousand years to change between being the Herbology professor, headmaster and whatever. Right now, there's no one else, whom I can imagine being a good headmaster, and believe me, I've spoken about the matter with Rowena, Helga and Salazar, and they all fully agree with me."

Harry stared at the headmaster with bewilderment. "Well, Heather would well be able to teach Herbology," he thought aloud, "provided that she's willing to teach."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Six weeks later, Harry became the headmaster of Hogwarts, relieved that his granddaughter Heather took over the Herbology position. _'I'll watch the great grand children, provided that there will be any sometime soon. Maybe one of them or one of Helena's or Severus' grandchildren will make a good headmaster, so that I can retire and go back to teaching,'_ he thought, as he settled into his new office.

Since Godric was still residing at Hogwarts, he tried to attend the weekly staff meeting on Friday evenings, whenever his schedule allowed him to do so. "I still want to know what's going to happen to my first baby," he always stated, jokingly.

One day, Harry remembered something that he had meant to discuss with the minister since he had first looked through the paper work in the headmaster's office. "Godric," he spoke up, hesitantly. "In the future, there was a big bank, led by goblins. Everyone had their vaults there, which made it much easier to pay people or such."

"That's what we need," Godric agreed, pensively. "But why goblins?"

"As far as I know, they're famous for being very good at accounting tasks," Harry explained, unsurely.

"Very well, I'll try to make contact to the goblins then," Godric offered. "Will you accompany me to meet them and perhaps tell them about your future experience?"

"I will," Harry promised, adding as an afterthought, "and I'll bring Heath."

_'The goblins,'_ he mused, recalling that he had read a lot about the connection between wizards and goblins, when he had skimmed the book _Hogwarts: A History_. _'Oh, I better begin to re-write that book, as soon as I have time, before I forget the details, considering how many changes my family and I already made.'_

He spent the weekend closely reading all passages about the wizard goblin relations, realising in annoyance that most of the entries revolved about wars between the goblins and the humans. _'We'll remedy that,'_ he resolved.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Together with Godric and his own grandson Heath, Harry began a series of negotiations with the goblins. At first, Clearwood and Gripbird, the two goblin representatives, seemed very reserved.

"Why would we want to do business with humans?" Clearwood asked Godric, who then explained that Harry had come from the future and that for a long period in the near future, wizards and goblins had kept fighting wars against each other.

"I don't want our children or your children to live in war times," he finally said. "If goblins and wizards live together in peace and work together, it'll be good for everyone."

"If my wife wants to go to a magical shop at the shopping street near the Ministry of Magic," Gripbird countered, grumpily, "she's being stared at by the wizards and witches, and not in a friendly way."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Harry spoke up, sincerely, "and I can assure you that this will be completely different in Hogsmeade. My grandson Heath will see to it that everyone knows that the goblins are our friends and highly respected in the magical world."

In the end, the goblins promised to speak with the other goblins on Goblin Island, which was in fact much nearer to Hogsmeade than to London, so that it would be easier to maintain business at Hogsmeade than at Diagon Alley, even if the goblins used their own apparition method.

After long winding negotiations between Godric, Harry and the two goblins, the humans and goblins signed a peace treaty and also agreed to open a new department for goblin - human relations at the ministry of magic. The office would be represented by a human and a goblin.

"I suggest your grandson Brian for the position," Harry told Godric, when they returned to Hogwarts.

Only a few weeks later, Gringotts bank opened at the outskirts of Hogsmeade, on the opposite side of Hogwarts. It was a large, white building that occupied twenty goblins right from the beginning and very quickly found its customers, not only in Hogsmeade but from all over the British magical world.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following months, the minister of magic and the headmaster of Hogwarts made a similar peace treaty with the elves. Hearing from Harry's time travel and that the wizards enslaved the elves after a human - elven war just two hundred years later, the elves readily agreed to set up a peace treaty that assured the elves the same rights as the humans. Just like the department for the goblin - human relations, a department for the human - elven relationship was established at the ministry of magic.

"Harry, you're amazing," Ceridwen said, giving him a proud look, when he returned home after making the contract with the elves. "There's no need to enslave the elves. They're always ready to work for humans with very little pay anyway, and they're the best and nicest workers I can imagine."

"I'm glad that everything worked out so well," Harry replied, contentedly. "I wouldn't want to worry about you and our great grand children every day during the next centuries because of some stupid war with the elves or the goblins."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Fifty years after the official establishment of the wizards' connections to the elves and the goblins, Harry received the Order of Merlin first class for his contribution to the relationships and the peace between each of the parties.

Unfortunately, this was Godric's last action as the minister of magic. A few days later, he retired, shortly before he succumbed to his old age at almost two hundred years - as the last of the four older founders of Hogwarts, leaving Harry and Ceridwen as the only founders still alive.

Still in the position of the headmaster, Harry filled the other founders' positions with either the founders' great grandchildren, including his own. Over the next several hundred years, he kept Hogwarts firmly in the hands of the heirs of the six founders, only occasionally hiring other promising graduates from Hogsmeade.

The former village developed to a town, the largest accumulation of magical people within Britain. Even goblins and elves made the magical town their home, sending their children to school at Hogwarts.

Harry also kept an eye on the apothecary, however, so far his great grandchildren were adept enough at Potions and willing to take over the apothecary, so that he did not have to interfere.

"In the worst case, I'll just take over myself and make any of the founders' grandchildren the headmaster," he admitted to his wife, who gave him a comforting nod in return.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Ceridwen reassured him in a soft voice.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day in spring, 1555, Harry had just returned to his office and was speaking with Fawkes, who had become his familiar when Godric died, when all of a sudden, his older self stepped into his office.

"Harry," Harry blurted out with a combination of surprise and foreboding, wondering why his older self had travelled through time to meet him.

"Hello little one," the older Harry greeted his younger self. "Don't look at me with such a suspicious expression. You haven't done anything wrong," he said, sounding amused. "In fact, you did very well. I merely came to warn you about something."

Seeing that his younger self listened with apparent interest, he invited himself to a seat and said, "Let's have some tea while we talk."

"Oh right, sorry," younger Harry replied and hurriedly called an elf to ask for tea and biscuits. "So why did you come here in this time?" he then asked, curiously.

"Ah, I could have come to any time," older Harry replied, choosing a biscuit from the plate. "In fact, there's nothing that you have to do until the beginning of the twentieth century. Oh well, sorry, there's one thing," he corrected himself, frowning. "Sometime in the eighteenth century, I made David, one of our great grandchildren, take over the apothecary, which was a big mistake, and he almost ruined it had I not interfered. This time, you better not leave the apothecary to him in the first place. Any of the other kids will be better than him."

"All right," Harry replied, scribbling a note to himself on a parchment. "Sometime in the eighteenth century?"

"Yes," older Harry confirmed. "Sorry, but I don't remember the exact year."

"That's fine," Harry replied, smiling. "Thanks a lot for the advice."

"Now, why I actually came here," his older self continued, "is to warn you about a boy who's going to be born in 1926. His name is Tom Riddle. He's going to become a monster. In fact, he's the one who's going to kill our parents. Don't change anything. If he doesn't kill our parents, you won't grow up with our horrible relatives and won't wish yourself into the past in the first place. So please just let everything run its course."

"All right," Harry confirmed his understanding.

"There's one thing that you can do though," older Harry added, pensively. "Renew Salazar's spell that ensures that Amaterasu can't harm anyone on a yearly basis. Don't forget it. Tom Riddle, who is capable of speaking Parseltongue, will open the chamber and force Amaterasu into the castle to kill the muggleborn students. One student will die, and Hagrid will be accused of it. You can easily prevent this by casting the spell."

"Of course I will do so," Harry agreed immediately.

"I'm not sure," his older self suddenly said, thoughtfully. "In fact, I've thought about this multiple times, especially watching Severus grow up. Even now, fifty years after our parents died, he's still grieving about mum. Maybe once go to the future and talk to him about finding a spell that you could cast on our mum, so that she wouldn't be killed. But still, it must be inevitable that you'll be sent to the Dursleys. I don't know, but maybe you can figure out something together with Severus."

The two Harrys spent several hours talking about this and that, about the future, the past and what changes younger Harry had to avoid in any case. By the time older Harry returned to the future, Harry felt very much relaxed and relieved, as he had been worrying about all the changes that he had made during the last few centuries.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Glad that he had much time to prepare himself for his future tasks, Harry studied all the information about Tom Riddle and his time that he could find in the books, which he had brought from the future, and made plans for his own future.

When Albus Dumbledore came to Hogwarts as a first-year student, Harry unobtrusively cast a charm at the eleven-year-old that prevented the wizard from making any connection between Headmaster Harry Potter and the son of Lily Evans and James Potter who was going to be born more than a century later.

_'When Albus finishes Hogwarts, I'm going to make him the headmaster,'_ he thought after observing the boy for a few years' time, knowing from his older self that Dumbledore had been a good headmaster. One of his great grandchildren, Annette Potter, was teaching Transfiguration, so that Dumbledore was not needed as the Transfiguration professor anyway.

To his relief, Albus Dumbledore readily agreed to become the headmaster, while Harry remained at Hogwarts together with Ceridwen as the rightful owner of Hogwarts. In this position, he was completely free to assist professors, advise students and do as he pleased. Even during the last centuries, he had done so from time to time to have some quiet years free from the headmaster position. Just like during these times, he took back the head of house position of Potter house with that he had always entrusted one of his great grandchildren, in this case Teresa Pomfrey, when she finished Hogwarts and became the Healing professor and healer for the school.

Having heard many stories from his older self, Harry did not completely trust Albus Dumbledore. However, he was so ahead of the younger wizard in hindsight of information that he had no difficulties handling the headmaster. Due to Harry's Occlumency skills, which he had learned from Salazar Slytherin, Albus never realised that Harry knew more about him than he was supposed to know, nor did the headmaster find out that Harry had been living at Hogwarts since its founding and that he and his wife were immortal. However, the headmaster and the owner of Hogwarts kept a good relationship.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Once Albus Dumbledore was at Hogwarts, for Harry, it seemed to last an infinite time before Minerva McGonagall and one year later Tom Riddle were going to become first-years at Hogwarts. While Minerva already attended the primary school together with her best friend Poppy Pomfrey, the grandchild of Teresa Pomfrey and one of the many times great grandchildren of Ceriwen and Harry, Tom only came to Hogwarts at the age of eleven.

_'Maybe it would have been better for him if we had fetched him from the orphanage on time to attend the primary school here, but I mustn't change anything concerning him,' _Harry mused, as he observed Minerva and Poppy being sorted into Potter.

He patiently waited until all the first-years had taken their seats at their new house tables, before he unobtrusively cast the charm at everyone, which he had cast at Albus Dumbledore several decades before.

_'They're so cute,'_ he thought, as he observed the two students interact with their classmates, remembering too well how he had met them, when he had been a first-year student and they both professors and about seventy years of age. _'I wonder how Tom will be. On the one hand, I'd like to help him to not become a monster, but on the other hand, I mustn't change anything, so I better don't do as much as speak to him. Ahhhh,'_ he thought, letting out a long sigh, when he remembered that Hagrid was going to come to Hogwarts soon, too. _'I'm looking forward to meeting an eleven-year-old Hagrid,'_ he thought, smiling.


	14. Chapter 14

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Tom Riddle seemed as excited as all the other first-years who were standing in front of the high table in the Great Hall. <em>'At least he can't do anything bad at Hogwarts,'<em> Harry mused. He had not only renewed the spell for Amaterasu like he had done in the morning of the first of September during the last few hundred years. He had also led conversations with Hogwarts and Amaterasu about Tom Riddle and his intentions.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Ever since Salazar Slytherin had died, Harry had seen to it that he visited Amaterasu on a daily basis, whenever he could find a few free minutes, and by now, the old basilisk had become his familiar - just like Fawkes.

One day, Amaterasu informed him that a boy had visited her, a speaker. #He told me that he'd be my masster now and he'd come back and forccce me to sslither out into the cassstle and kill the muggleborn studentsss,# she added in apparent concern.

_'Oh no,'_ Harry thought in annoyance, before he cast the basilisk a reassuring smile. "Don't worry," he hissed back. "He'sss a bad wizzard. Of coursse he'ss not your masster, and you don't have to obey to him. Alsso, no one will die jusst by looking into your eyesss, ass I casst the spell over the groundsss."

#Thank you sssso much,# Amaterasu replied, seemingly relieved.

Apparently, Tom Riddle visited Amaterasu three more times. However, when the large serpent threatened to kill him if he didn't leave her in peace, he stopped visiting her.

_'I hope he's just given up,'_ Harry thought, gently petting the basilisk's head.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Other than his attempts to coax Amaterasu into killing the muggleborn students, Harry could not see any reason to complain about Tom Riddle. The boy was intelligent and well-behaved. Apart from the occasional class that he taught if one of his colleagues was ill or otherwise indisposed, Harry barely ever came near the boy, although he unobtrusively observed the student from his first day at Hogwarts until the last.

Only after Tom had taken his NEWTs, Albus Dumbledore told him that Tom had asked him to make him the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.

"No," Harry blurted out, immediately.

"Why not, Harry?" Albus enquired in apparent surprise, causing Harry to tell the headmaster everything about the Chamber of Secrets.

"Oh no," the headmaster replied, seemingly shocked. "Of course we won't allow him to remain at Hogwarts, let alone in a teaching position."

_'My words,'_ Harry thought, smirking.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Two days later, Tom Riddle was found lying in the dungeon corridor in a barely conscious state. Apparently, he had been attacked, however, he had no idea by whom, and Professor Pomfrey could only diagnose that his magical level was extremely low.

Still unsure what had happened, however, recovered, Tom Riddle left Hogwarts.

Only after the students had returned home for the summer, Harry learned from Hogwarts what had occurred a few days ago.

"He tried to cast a charm at the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, but I prevented it and cast a spell at him in return," Hogwarts informed him. "In the future, he won't have much more magic than a Squib. His magic will become weaker by the year."

Harry listened with a combination of shock, delight and disbelief, before he profusely thanked the castle for her invaluable assistance.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Hagrid, who finished his NEWTs at the same time, became the new caretaker for the main school, the primary school and the hospital. Originally, Harry intended to make him a teacher at the primary school, however, the half giant preferred the caretaker position.

"I'm very shy and wouldn't be able to keep up with students like Tom Riddle," he admitted to Harry. "It'll be easier to work as the caretaker."

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was about twenty-five years later that Albus and Minerva, whom Harry had made the Transfiguration professor right after her NEWTs, took Harry aside. The headmaster informed him that a werewolf wanted to attend Hogwarts. "His name's Remus Lupin. When Minerva sent out the invitation letter, his parents replied that he'd love to come to our school but that he was a werewolf. What are we going to do?"

"To do?" Harry asked back in a daze. "We'll just cure him."

"Cure him?" Minerva queried in confusion. "Harry, are you feeling all right?"

In fact, Harry had a terrible headache, however, there was no need to admit that to anyone. "Of course," he replied, slightly irritated.

"There's no cure for Lycanthropy," Minerva stated, indignantly.

"There's a cure," Harry insisted, inwardly groaning. "It might be lost in this time, but I can brew it for him. No problem. When is the full moon?"

"Harry," Hogwarts suddenly spoke up in a soft voice. "I believe that it's time to inform the headmaster and his deputy about your identity."

"What was that?" Minerva spoke up, letting her eyes wander around the room in confusion.

"That was Hogwarts," Harry replied, feeling somehow annoyed. "Well, you know who Harry Potter is I suppose. Well, I am Harry Potter."

"That's it," Minerva said, rising from her chair in determination. "Albus, I'm going to take Harry to Theresa and Poppy. He seems to be delirious."

"Minerva," Harry spoke again in a quiet voice, motioning the deputy headmistress to sit down. "My wife Ceridwen Hufflepuff, the head healer of the hospital, and I are two of the six founders of Hogwarts. The other four aren't alive anymore, however, the two of us took a strange potion when we were first-years that made us immortal." Ignoring the fact that the two professors stared at him in disbelief, he continued, "I set up Potter house, the Herbology class, and I'm also a Potions Master. Therefore, I'm well able and also entitled to administer the wolvescure potion, which was invented by Salazar Slytherin."

"Let's ask Daniel," Albus suggested, causing Harry to let out a snort.

"Even if he's the Potions professor, he won't know it," he replied, firmly. "At first, I taught my great grandchildren myself and prepared them for the Potions Mastery, but at some stage, when I was busy with other things, I left the task to the Potions professor, and somehow this important potion seems to have become lost. It doesn't matter though. Maybe the student could come here a few days before the beginning of the school year, so that we could cure him beforehand."

"Very well, Harry," Albus agreed. "Please brew the potion for Mr. Lupin then. We'll check when the full moon will be, but since students aren't allowed to stay at Hogwarts..."

"Nonsense," Harry interrupted the headmaster, slowly massaging his temples to get some relief from his headache. "Mr. Lupin may stay with my wife and me in our quarters until school commences. I'll contact his parents myself."

_'I'll ask Fawkes to take me to the Lupins on Sunday,'_ he resolved, as he finally left the headmaster's office and made his way to the apothecary to get a headache potion. _'Some kind of joke potion for the headmaster won't hurt either,'_ he thought, as he went to visit his great grandchildren in Hogsmeade.

_'I wonder if Albus and Minerva believed me,'_ Harry thought, when he passed the hospital and entered the apothecary, which was still very busy on this early evening. Heading to the apothecary side of the shop first, he grabbed a headache potion from the shelf and went into the back room, where he gulped down the cool liquid, sighing in relief upon feeling the immediate effects.

"Harry, what's wrong?" his great granddaughter-in-law queried, as she entered the back room behind him.

"Ah, just a headache," Harry replied, smiling. "Thanks," he added, handing her the empty phial. "How's it going?"

"Very well, but very busy," was the reply. "Four people are not enough for this large shop."

Harry nodded in understanding. "I'm sorry," he then said. "As you know, it's my wish to keep the shop in the family. I can tell you something though," he added, thoughtfully. "In about twenty-five years from now, we're going to separate the apothecary and the joke shop, and you'll only have to deal with the apothecary then." Seeing the young woman give him a surprised look, he explained, "I shall take over the joke shop then."

"Harry?" the witch asked, doubtfully, "Are you able to look into the future?"

"To a certain extent yes," Harry admitted, before he took his leave and headed to the joke shop part, where he asked his great grandson for any new inventions.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Half an hour later, Harry found himself on his way back to the castle, a few phials with joke potions hidden in his robe pockets.

Back in his own rooms at Hogwarts, he called Gina, one of his favourite elves, and handed her one of the phials with the instruction to mix it under the headmaster's morning tea. "Oh, maybe only on Sunday morning," he added as an afterthought. _'That way, anyone could have bought it during the Hogsmeade visit on Saturday,'_ he thought.

Toying with the thought of lying down for a while, since his headache was still not completely gone, he decided otherwise and spent the next two hours until curfew in the Potter common room, where he helped the students with the preparation for the end of year tests, OWLs and NEWTs.

_'Thank Merlin only two more weeks until the holidays,'_ he thought, when Ceridwen came to join him at curfew.

"Let's go home," she said, resolutely, and, ignoring Harry's protests, pulled her husband out of the common room, biding the students good night.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When they reached their quarters, Ceridwen cast Harry an exasperated glare. "Tell me one thing. Why in the world did you not come to me when you were feeling unwell but went to the apothecary and joke shop?"

Harry returned a confused look. "It was only a headache, so I got a headache potion," he replied in a soothing voice. _'If she turns into healer's mode, she reminds me so much of Helga,' _he thought, smiling.

"It's not only a headache," Ceridwen countered in a strict voice. "You're also running a fever." She made him sit on the sofa and waved her wand over him, muttering to herself in apparent annoyance. "Harry, you caught the squid's flu," she finally said in clear exasperation, before she ordered him to go to bed and called Dolly, her elf, who was a healer like herself, and asked her to fetch a few potions for Harry from the hospital and to mix a preventive potion into the food for breakfast in the morning.

"Did you not notice that you're ill?" she asked, incredulously, when she entered the bedroom to give her husband his potions.

"No, I feel fine, apart from the headache," Harry lied, absolutely hating the fuss that Ceridwen used to make about him, when something was ailing him.

"I wonder how you could get that at all?" Ceridwen continued her rant. "I know that the giant squid was ill last week but..."

"I fell from my broom and ended up in the lake. The squid was so kind and helped me out," Harry replied in a bored voice, receiving a deadly glare from his wife.

"If you had told me immediately, I'd have given you the preventive potion right away. Oh well, you'll have to stay in bed over the whole weekend in any case," she replied in a no-nonsense voice.

As much as Harry begged her to let him chaperone the Hogsmeade visit in the morning, Ceridwen remained firm and kept Harry in bed during the next two days.

"You know," Harry spoke up on Sunday afternoon, "I think I made a huge mistake." Seeing Ceridwen give him a questioning look, he explained, "You know my grandfather, Harold Potter, and also my grandmother. Maybe I should have told them that I'm their grandson, when they were at Hogwarts. I never met them before they came here, and maybe they'd be happy if they knew."

"That's for sure," Ceridwen agreed in a soft voice.

"But it's too late now," Harry continued. "Now they know me as the head of Potter house and an old man and won't believe me anyway."

"You look relatively young for your age," Ceridwen threw in, grinning.

"Ahh, you too my dear, you don't look like 990 years either," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

"Maybe you should consider telling your parents, when they come to Hogwarts?" Ceridwen suggested, smiling.

"Yes, I should do that. I'll wait until I get to know them a bit better. They're both supposed to come to Hogwarts this year, and Severus Snape is going to become a first-year too," Harry said, pensively. _'I need to go and speak with the older Snape before his younger self comes here,' _he thought and resolved to travel fifty years into the future at the next opportunity. He knew better than to tell his wife about his plan though, knowing that she would throw a fit, especially since he intended to go during the next few days.

He told Ceridwen about the matter with Remus Lupin though, and his wife immediately agreed to have the boy come to Hogwarts a few days before the beginning of the new school year and cure him.

"In fact, we could just invite him to visit us, for example over the weekend," Ceridwen suggested. "Why don't you ask him to come here next weekend to take the potion?"

Harry immediately agreed. "You're right as usual," he admitted. "Why should he suffer from his Lycanthropy for two more months? I'll write a letter to him and his parents and send Fawkes to deliver it."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Unbeknownst to his wife, Harry did not send his letter with Fawkes but transformed into his Animagus form and just flashed himself to the Lupins' residence on Monday evening. He asked the family to swear a wizard's oath that they would not reveal what he was going to tell them and, when Remus and his parents agreed, told them the truth about himself. Not about his time travel, but that he was one of the founders of Hogwarts and had been alive since almost one thousand years.

"In the past, the wolvescure potion was just a normal potion, however, it must have been lost over time," he explained and offered to brew the potion for Remus.

While Remus immediately agreed in obvious excitement, his parents remained sceptical. Only when Harry emphasized that the potion did not have any negative effects and that he was a Potions Master, entitled to administer potions and on top of everything married to the head healer of the Hogwarts hospital, the Lupins finally agreed.

When Harry invited the boy to come to Hogwarts on Saturday morning and not only take the potion but stay over the weekend, Remus was all for it.

"I can't wait to go to see Hogwarts," he said, excitedly, "and if I can really be cured..." He slowly trailed off, tears welling in his eyes.

"On Saturday, we're going to have our Quidditch match students against teachers, and afterwards, we'll visit my wife in the hospital, where you can take your potion, and then I'm going to show you Hogwarts," Harry promised, smiling.

ホグワーツへの組分け

By the end of the weekend, Harry was very fond of the boy, and Remus Lupin knew that he was going to try his best to bribe the Sorting Hat into putting him into Potter house.

"Thank you so much for curing me, sir. I'm the happiest boy in the world," the eleven-year-old repeated over and over, giving Harry the feeling as if he was the luckiest professor in the world.

Right after taking a healthy and happy Remus back home on Sunday evening, Harry wished himself fifty years into the future. _'Hmm, eleven o'clock on a Monday evening,'_ he thought, _'no, that's not too late to visit Snape.'_ He swiftly made his way through the shortcut to the dungeons and knocked at the Potions Master's door.

"Harry," the man greeted him, motioning him through his office into his private rooms.

"Sorry, but I'm not my older self," Harry quickly said, apologetically. "I came from fifty years into the past."

"Fifty years," Snape repeated, thoughtfully. "That means that my younger self is just going to come to Hogwarts." He raised an eyebrow in unasked question.

"Yes sir, and that's why I came here," Harry admitted. "First of all, I'd like to know if there's anything that I can do to help your younger self, and secondly, my older self told me to speak with you about perhaps somehow saving my mum, although she needs to die or at least vanish, so that I'll be sent to the Dursleys."

"Yes, he spoke about that with me, too," Snape replied and slowly began to tell the so much older wizard everything about his time at Hogwarts, Lily, the Marauders, the Death Eaters and how finally, the love of his life died. "I know that she still has to get together with Potter in order for you to be born," he finally said.

"Yes, I'm sorry sir," Harry replied, sighing.

"Harry!" the Potions Master scolded him right away. "First of all, there's nothing to be sorry about. During the so far one thousand years of your life, you've done many great things, and if anyone deserved to receive the Order of Merlin first class for saving thousands of people, it would be you. Secondly, I have a suggestion to make about spells that you could cast on your parents before Voldemort will go after them. If you prevent my younger self from joining the Death Eaters and teach him accordingly, he'll accompany you and help you cast the spells at the right time."

Harry listened with interest. "Thank you very much, sir," he said finally and told the wizard about the spell that Hogwarts had cast at Tom Riddle. "Will he have enough magic to try killing my parents?"

"If they're unprepared, yes," Snape replied, pensively. "You and my younger self have to be very careful and cast your spells just an instant before he casts the killing curse."

"All right," Harry agreed, knowing that it would be a very difficult task.

Snape suddenly rose from his arm chair and headed over to a shelf, returning with a parchment. "I've written a letter to my younger self," he informed Harry. "Please give it to him at the beginning of his fifth Hogwarts year."

Looking forward to meeting the child Severus Snape, Harry returned to his own time right after the conversation with the Slytherin head.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"That took you quite some time," Ceridwen spoke up in concern, when Harry entered their quarters. "Was everything all right?"

Harry nodded. "Yes dear, everything is fine," he replied, before he told his wife the truth about his detour to the future. "I'd like to help Severus in any way possible," he said after repeating what the professor had told him about his miserable childhood.

"Of course that's fine with me," Ceridwen replied in a soft voice. "I haven't forgotten that it was due to him that you could save all our lives in the past. As soon as you notice that he's abused by his father, bring him to either me or Theresa or Poppy. We'll help him."

"Thanks," Harry said, smiling, feeling very much reassured by his wife's understanding.

He leaned over to his still beautiful wife and asked, "Did I tell you that I love you?" before he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Oh well, let me think, it's one thousand years and three times a day, that makes about a million times," Ceridwen replied, grinning.

"I wonder where Snape and my parents are going to be sorted," Harry thought aloud. "Maybe I shouldn't tell them who I am, especially if I have to discipline my father for not behaving towards the Slytherins."

_'I can't wait for the school year to commence,'_ he thought, feeling impatient like a first-year. However, before the beginning of the school year lay two months of summer holidays, during which Harry became very distracted by other things.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was during the second week of the holidays that his many times great granddaughter Evelyn O'Neill gave birth to her daughter Annette. Ceridwen herself oversaw the birth, since she and Harry were very close to all their great grandchildren. However, complications occurred and even though she was in best hands at the hospital, the healers were not able to save the young witch's life.

Since Evelyn had been married to and - after becoming pregnant - separated from a muggle, whose whereabouts were unknown, Ceridwen brought the baby home, knowing that she and Harry would be well able to raise another child if they couldn't come up with some other relative who was more suited as a baby's parent.

She discussed the matter with Harry, still shocked about the sudden death of their great grandchild, and the couple decided to take the baby in. Annette had brown hair like Ceridwen and green eyes like Harry and was a very cute baby. She did not cry much, but only quietly whimpered when she was hungry or otherwise unhappy, and, as soon as she noticed that either what she thought to be her mummy or daddy came to pick her up, she immediately stopped complaining.

Ceridwen took holidays over the school holidays, which was not a problem, as she was the owner of the hospital and had enough employees, healers as well as mediwitches, to cover up for her, and Harry and Ceridwen could not help enjoying caring for the baby.

"Thank Merlin I don't have to teach classes," Harry said to Ceridwen on the last day of the summer holidays. "Even if it's more than nine hundred years ago, I remember well having to take the twins to the Herbology classroom with me."

Ceridwen chuckled and replied, "You can't deny that they were both very good at Herbology though."

"That's true," Harry admitted, and his thoughts drifted back to the time when he had first set a foot into the greenhouse. "Professor O'Neill," he suddenly realised in shock. "It's Annette. She has the same smile as you along with my eyes. She was the Herbology teacher, when I first visited the future."

Ceridwen playfully tickled the baby's toes. "Are you going to become the Herbology professor, Anni?" she cooed making the baby cast her a toothless smile.

Harry let out a long sigh. "Do you really have to work fulltime again from tomorrow? Can't you reduce hours or just be the head healer without having to work like everyone else?"

"I could, of course," Ceridwen replied in apparent surprise. "It's just that so far you've never told me such a thing, and I thought you'd be busy the whole day anyway."

"I think during the last nine hundred years you've worked enough," Harry said in a firm voice, "and I'd be happy if you were more at home, especially now that we have a baby again."

"Tomorrow, I'm going to speak with the kids," Ceridwen replied, knowing that the hospital would be in good hands with their many great grandchildren, of whom ninety percent of the staff consisted. "Still I'm going to go there once a day for an hour or two," she added, pensively.

Both remained quiet for a few minutes, deep in their own thoughts.

"Harry," Ceridwen suddenly spoke up again, giving her husband an expectant look.

"Yes?"

"What would you think, I know this might sound strange, but I was wondering if we should have another baby," Ceridwen blurted out in a small voice. "It would be nice for Annette to have a sibling."

Harry stared at his wife in disbelief. "Sorry, Ceridwen, but aren't we too old for such a thing?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow.

Ceridwen pointed her wand at Harry and cast a spell. "You're thirty-five years and six months old," she said, triumphantly. "I shouldn't be much older."

ホグワーツへの組分け

A knock at the door brought the couple out of their conversation. It was Minerva.

"Harry and Ceridwen, I'm sorry to disturb you, but we need you to come to Albus' office immediately," the Gryffindor head said, sounding uncharacteristically upset.

"Of course Minerva," Harry immediately replied and picked up the baby, before he followed Minerva and Ceridwen out of the room.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To their surprise, all the heads of the houses along with the healers were assembled in the headmaster's office. Harry and Ceridwen quickly occupied the last two empty seats.

"We have a problem," Albus greeted them in a grave voice. "Poppy and Daniel had a big fight about the potions stock or whatever, and Daniel quit his position with immediate effect."

Harry stared at the headmaster in shock. "Daniel quit?" he repeated in surprise.

Daniel was his great grandson. He was about fifty years old, and Harry had always found him a bit lazy. However, the healers had never complained so far.

"I'm sorry," Poppy threw in, "but he only brew half the potions of what granny and I asked of him, and..."

Harry tuned out the further conversation, his thoughts going haywire. "Very well then," he finally spoke up. "I'm going to teach Potions until Severus Snape will be ready to teach."

"Excuse me, Harry," Theresa spoke up, "but who's Severus Snape?"

Knowing that both healers, who were also his great granddaughters, knew everything about him, Harry explained that Severus was going to become a first year and would be a brilliant Potions Master in the future.

"We need someone to become the Slytherin head for seven years though," he added, thoughtfully. "Theresa, you were in Slytherin, weren't you?"

"Yes," the older healer admitted, "and I don't mind being the head until Severus is ready to take over the position, provided that he'll be sorted into Slytherin."

"He should," Harry said, smiling.

"Very well," the headmaster threw in, sounding very relieved. "Then everything is clear. Harry, would you like to use Daniel's office, lab and classroom?"

Harry remained pensive for a moment, before he replied, "I'd like to use the classroom. However, I have my own office and potions lab, and I'm just going to connect the classroom to my office. Maybe I'll go and get Daniel's lesson plans from his office though," he added as an afterthought.

"I'll accompany you," Albus offered. "Maybe you'll find other items that you wish to take with you. We can always ask the elves to integrate Daniel's office into yours if you want."

"All right then, let's go and have a look," Harry agreed, relieved when Ceridwen took the baby off him, so that he could concentrate on his office.

Only when he left the office behind the deputy headmistress, he heard Ceridwen ask the healers if they had a few minutes' time for her.

_'Why?'_ he wondered, as he absentmindedly followed the headmaster and his deputy to the Potions Master's office, when he recalled their earlier conversation. _'Maybe she's going to ask them about having another baby,'_ he thought. _'It's going to be a bit too much to take two children to the Potions classroom with me. Even with one, it might be dangerous in the Potions classroom.'_

Daniel's office was fairly well organised, and Harry decided to just connect it to his own office as it was and use it, so that Severus could simply take over the Potions Master's office in a few years' time. He spent the rest of the day intensely studying the lesson plans.

_'I wonder where everyone's going to be sorted tomorrow,'_ he thought, somehow feeling excited like a first-year, as he returned home late in the evening, only to receive a scolding from his wife because he had missed dinner.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Harry noticed soon that Ceridwen was everything but pleased that he had so easily offered to take the Potions post, even if she could understand that he wanted to keep it open for Severus.<p>

"But just after asking me to cut my working hours?" she asked, incredulously. "Oh well I'll still do it in order to watch Annette and hopefully another baby," she added, changing her upset expression to her usual smile that Harry adored so much. "Anyway, I don't want you to overwork yourself," she said in a firm voice.

"I won't," Harry promised, knowing that his wife always worried about his health, since his immune system was not as good as it should be, probably due to his upbringing by the Dursleys in addition to his frequent time travels.

"So well, let's go to bed then," he said, lightly, fully intending to fulfil his wife's wish for another child. 'If not two again,' he thought, inwardly groaning at the prospect of getting twins again, as it seemed to be a family trait of the Potter/Hufflepuff family.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Before heading to the Great Hall for the Sorting, Harry once again closely studied his original book of Hogwarts: A History in order to make sure just how much he had to meddle in order to compensate for the changes that he had made to the future. _'James, Sirius, Remus and Peter are the Marauders. They have to become friends, and Lily and James have to get together,'_ he thought, making a mental note to interfere if one or the other ended up in Potter.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Sitting between the headmaster and Theresa Pomfrey, Harry observed the ceremony with interest. Sirius Black was sorted into Gryffindor. Harry did not know much about the boy. He had only read in Hogwarts: A History that the man had been James' best friend, was a dog Animagus, had been made Harry Potter's godfather and had finally betrayed James and Lily to Voldemort before killing Peter Pettigew and thirteen muggles. _'They put him to Azkaban without giving him as much as a trial,'_ he recalled, thinking, _'We'll see if he turns out evil. I can't change anything anyway, as someone must give my mum and dad out to Voldemort.'_

Peter Pettigrew and James Potter were sorted into Gryffindor, and Lily Evans and Remus Lupin ended up in Potter. Harry nodded contentedly. _'Only two changes to how it should have been. That I'll be able to handle,'_ he thought, smiling when Severus Snape headed to the Slytherin table.

"Harry," Theresa suddenly addressed him, when the meal popped up on the tables. "Yesterday, when you agreed to take over the post of the Potions professor, the topic of the Potions Master did not come up. Will you be willing to provide Poppy and me with the necessary potions?"

"Of course," Harry replied, reassuringly. "Just give me a list of what you need, and I'll see to it."

"Thank Merlin," Theresa whispered back. "That was always a bit of problem with Daniel, even before the situation escalated yesterday between Poppy and him. I have brewed many potions myself, but now being head of house in addition, I just don't have the time anymore."

"Don't worry, we'll manage," Harry replied, trying to sound more confident than he actually was, knowing that Ceridwen was going to throw a fit if he spent most of the evenings after curfew in his lab.

ホグワーツへの組分け

At the house meeting, Harry unobtrusively observed Lily Evans. _'My mum,'_ he thought, feeling incredibly happy at the thought of getting to know his mother.

"She's really cute," Ceridwen said, when they returned to their quarters after curfew. "If there's anything you need me to do in order to repair what we messed up, please tell me. I'll of course help."

Harry smiled. "Thank you Ceridwen," he said. "You know," he added, thoughtfully. "That's one of the reasons why I so readily took over the Potions classes. It's not only to keep the post available for Severus, but also because as a professor I'm going to have more possibilities of influencing the students one or the other way. I already have a plan in mind."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Originally, the Gryffindors had all classes together with the Ravenclaws. This regulation, which was more a habit than a regulation, resulted from the time of about ten years after the founding of Hogwarts, when the number of students had grown so much that they needed two separate classes for each year and Godric had paired his own students with those of his wife. Naturally, the Hufflepuffs were paired with the Slytherins. From the time when Potter house was founded onwards, the Potter students had been paired with the class that held less students.

However, when Harry and Ceridwen remained the sole alive founders of Hogwarts, Harry had changed this habit in a way that he - as the owner of the school - decided for each new first year which houses were going to have classes together, depending on the number of students in order for all classes to have an as equal as possible size. In the evening of the Sorting, he used to inform the deputy headmistress about his decision.

For this new first year, however, he had ignored the number of students and had informed Minerva right after dinner that he wanted Gryffindor, Potter and Slytherin to be paired. Fortunately, the deputies never questioned his decisions, and even Minerva knew better, fully aware that he the right of overwriting everyone else's decisions, even the headmaster's.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry entered the classroom of the Gryffindor Potter Slytherin first-year class with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was looking forward to teaching his parents and also Severus, but on the other hand, he could not help worrying if everything would turn out as needed.

He decided to ignore his plan for the time being and merely held a monologue about the brewing of potions, magical and non magical herbs and the different methods of preparing ingredients.

"Does anyone know why the full moon plays a role for the harvest of many magical ingredients?" he enquired, curious if any of the students already possessed some insight knowledge about potions. When no one raised his or her hand, he asked Severus directly. "Mr. Snape, any idea?" he queried in a soft voice, quirking an eyebrow.

"Because the effect of the ingredients will be more powerful when harvested in the morning after the full moon," the student replied, correctly.

"Very good, five points to Slytherin," Harry commended the boy, noticing that a small smile played on the student's lips at the praise. He continued to ask questions from time to time to make sure that the students were listening to his monologue, registering without surprise that Severus Snape was always the one who was able to answer, even if the boy never raised his hand.

By the end of the class, Slytherin house had gained 25 points, while Lily Evans had received 5 points for Potter.

ホグワーツへの組分け

From the next lesson of that - for him very special - class onwards, he applied the plan that he had taken much time to set up.

"From today onwards, I'm going to pair you, and you'll sit, sometimes also work as pair until the end of the school year," he announced, before he proceeded to call two names and motioned the students to sit together at one table. He paired Lily Evans with James Potter, Sirius Black with Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin with Severus Snape. _'Next year, I'll have to pair Remus with Black or Pettigrew,'_ he thought, however, for this time, he wanted Severus to work together with what seemed to be one of the nicest boys of his house.

"But professor," Sirius Black shouted in a seemingly upset tone. "I've already become friends with James Potter. Why can't we work together?"

"Because I paired you otherwise, Mr. Black," Harry replied, simply. "Do as well as you can in my class, and I might consider giving in to your wishes at a later time."

Hearing Sirius mutter something that he did not understand, he said in a strict voice, "You better behave in my class, before I take points from your house."

However, Sirius knew better than to obey and muttered something like "Unfair treatment."

"What exactly is unfair?" Harry queried, giving the boy a stern look.

"Yesterday, you gave lots of points to Slytherin and even to your own house, but Gryffindor didn't receive a single house point," Sirius complained, boldly.

"That's because Mr. Snape could answer all the question, and Ms. Evans gained points for answering another question correctly," Harry replied, coldly. "You can very well make up for it, Mr. Black. At what time in the morning after the full moon would you go and harvest magical ingredients like moon fern that are affected by the full moon?"

Sirius let out a snort, glaring at the professor.

"You don't know?" Harry queried. "Pity. Mr. Potter?"

To his relief, James was able to answer the question, and Gryffindor gained five house points. With that, Harry instructed the students to brew the simplest basic healing potion, which was the first potion in the first year Potions book.

"The recipe is on the board," he informed the students. "Now begin. You will each brew the potion for yourselves. There will be potions in the future that you'll be able to brew together, but not this one, as it is one of the main basic potions, and everyone must learn to brew it flawlessly."

He closely observed the students in order to possibly prevent them from blowing up their cauldrons and unobtrusively kept an eye on Severus. _'He already knows exactly what he's doing,'_ he realised, wondering if he could single out the boy in front of the class. _'Maybe it'll help him gain more confidence,'_ he finally decided.

When he instructed the students to bottle one phial of the potion and place it on his desk, he cast a stasis charm at Severus' potion, sniffed at it and took a small sip, before he informed the boy, "Please leave your potion as it is for use in the hospital wing later on." Turning to the class, he cast the Evanesco spell at all other cauldrons and told the students to clean up their work spaces.

"Excuse me sir, but what are you going to use it for?" Severus queried with apparent interest.

Harry gave Severus a thoughtful look. "Since it's the basis for many healing potions, there are several possibilities," he replied, wondering if he should try out what Severus was able to brew. "What potions do you know that you could make from it?" he asked, challenging.

Severus shrugged. "For example, Pepperup potion," he then suggested.

"Very well," Harry agreed. "Would you like to continue brewing then, provided that you have time between now and dinner?"

"I'd like that," Severus replied, and a small smile crossed his face, as he headed to the ingredients cupboard to fetch what he needed.

Originally, Harry had intended to spend the hour between classes and dinner in his lab to work on Theresa's list, however, not wanting to leave the student alone, he simply set up two cauldrons next to Severus' and brewed the first two potions required by the healers.

Fifteen minutes later, Severus' potion was finished. Making sure that it was correctly brewed, Harry instructed the boy to fill the liquid into small phials and label them.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't know how to do this magically," Severus spoke up in a small voice, causing Harry to patiently teach the boy the procedure.

"Excuse me sir, would you like me to assist?" Severus asked, seeing that Harry was still in the middle of his own brewing process.

"If you wish to assist, I won't say no," Harry replied, smiling.

"Why are you so proficient at brewing?" Harry asked, colloquially, seeing that even with the preparation of the ingredients, Severus knew exactly what to do. Of course, Harry knew that Eileen Prince had been the boy's mother and a Potions Mistress, but he wanted to try making the boy gain his trust, and this conversation was a good opportunity.

"My mother taught me," Severus replied, as he carefully mashed two frog eggs. "But she died two years ago, and ever since then, my father didn't allow me to brew anymore. He's a muggle and hates magic," he added as an afterthought. "I love to brew though, and I'm glad that I have the opportunity now at Hogwarts."

Harry remained thoughtful for a moment. An idea crossed his mind, but he'd have to speak with the headmaster before revealing anything to the boy.

"You may assist whenever you wish and have time," he said, lightly. "Your school work must have the highest priority though."

"Thank you so much sir," Severus replied, sounding very happy.

ホグワーツへの組分け

At dinner, Harry asked Albus, Minerva and Theresa for a short conversation that took place in the headmaster's office right after dinner.

"I wish to make Severus Snape my student assistant," Harry announced, causing his colleagues to stare at him with a combination of confusion and surprise.

"A student assistant?" Minerva asked, crisply.

Albus let out a long sigh. "Yes Minerva, there's something. Teachers, especially those who are a head of house or have other duties apart from teaching, may appoint a student to assist them with their work load. I believe that this feature hasn't been used for at least two hundred years. Is that correct?" he queried, looking at Harry.

"Yes, that's correct," Harry confirmed and explained why he wanted to give the boy the opportunity. "I know his older self well, and I'm aware that he'll be a very important ally in the fight against Tom Riddle AKA Lord Voldemort as he'll call himself in the future. However, Severus formerly made bad experiences at Hogwarts, and I wish to remedy that and gain his trust at the same time. Apart from that, I owe him, because he once, almost thousand years back in time, saved the lives of many of us here at Hogwarts. It would be a too long story to explain everything in detail," he finished his monologue.

"I believe that Harry knows what he's doing. Therefore, I agree," Minerva was the first to reply.

"I agree too, provided that the boy knows that his school work has to come first," Theresa agreed as well.

"Very well," Albus said, thoughtfully. "Please instruct the boy to let me know if he wishes payment or privileges for his work."

"What kind of privileges?" Theresa asked, sharply.

"Privileges could be a later bedtime or participation in the Hogsmeade visits..."

"No," Theresa interrupted the headmaster. "Not a later bedtime. He has to be in the common room respectively his dormitory by curfew."

"And no Hogsmeade visits for first years, Albus," Harry spoke up in a soft voice. "It's for a reason that we changed it to be only from third year onwards about two hundred years ago."

"Payment it is then," the headmaster concluded. "Harry, will you see to it?"

"Yes, of course," Harry replied, contentedly.

ホグワーツへの組分け

On his way to the Potter common room, Harry went by his office and scribbled a note to Severus, asking the boy to come to the Potions classroom after the last afternoon class the following day. _'I hope he'll be happy and accept the post,'_ he thought as he headed to the owlery to hand his letter to one of the school owls. _'It would help me too.'_

When he entered the common room, Lily Evans stepped over to him and asked if she could have a word with him in private.

"Of course," Harry replied in surprise and led the first-year to the quiet room inside the common room. However, realising that it was full with older students, he decided to hold the conversation in the top room. "Let's go upstairs," he told the girl, smiling, and climbed upstairs behind his eleven-year-old mother.

"Professor," Lily spoke up in a soft voice, "I only wanted to thank you for giving Severus the chance to brew this afternoon. He's really very competent at brewing, but his father forbade him to brew, and he also completely neglected and abused him. We were hoping to get into the same house, but unfortunately," she slowly trailed off, only to add, "We've been best friends since we were two or three years old."

Harry remained thoughtful for a moment. _'I'd love to tell her about my relationship to her, but I can't do that. She's only eleven. She should spend as much time as possible with James, and not with Severus, too.'_ Seeing that the girl looked at him in expectation, he said, slowly, "I'll discuss the matter with the other teachers. Maybe we could make study rooms for each year, where you could study together with your classmates from other houses. How's that?"

A huge smile spread over Lily's face. "That would be wonderful," she said, happily. "Thank you so much, sir."

"Concerning the matter with Severus' father," Harry continued, pensively, "he has to speak about it with any of the professors. If he does, we can keep him at Hogwarts during the holidays. He could stay with my family and me, but he must confide in one of the adults. It doesn't matter with whom he speaks. Otherwise, he'll have to return to this father during the summer holidays."

"I'll tell him that," Lily said, excitedly. "Thank you so much, sir. I'm really happy that the Sorting hat put me into Potter house. Everyone is really very nice here."

"I'm happy to have you in my house," Harry replied, smiling a truthful smile.

"Excuse me sir, but may I ask a really private question?" Lily enquired, looking at him in expectation. Seeing Harry nod, she asked, "In which way are you related to this house? I mean, there's no teacher with the name of any of the other houses, only Potter. Are you the heir of the founder? And is James Potter somehow related to you as well?"

Harry let out a long sigh. _'Mum is too clever for her own good. She somehow reminds me of Hermione,'_ he thought.

"Lily," he spoke up, sighing again. "Will you promise me that you don't speak with anyone about what I tell you now?"

"Of course sir," Lily replied. "I can keep secrets in contrary to my awful sister, who tells tales about everything all the time."

Harry grinned. Even after almost one thousand years, he could still remember his horrible aunt all too well. "Very well," he continued to speak. "I am the founder of this house, but it's a longer story. To make it short, I was born in the year 1980 but accidentally wished myself one thousand years into the past. I grew up in the time of the founders and became the fifth founder of Hogwarts." Seeing that Lily was hanging on his lips, he told her about the Philosopher's stone and the potion, which he and his wife Ceridwen had taken, when they were first-years. "That's why I'm still alive and the owner of Hogwarts, while my wife is the head healer of the magical hospital, which is also here on the grounds," he ended his explanation.

"Wow," Lily said in amazement. "That's the most unbelievable but at the same time most amazing story that I've ever heard. So you're the Great Harry everyone is talking about, the one from the portrait in the common room."

"Ah rubbish, but yes, that's me," Harry replied, smiling.

"You're going to be born in nine years' time," Lily continued, thoughtfully. "That means that James Potter could be your father." She gave him an assessing look, her eyes widening when Harry merely smiled.

"And?" Harry queried, grinning.

"And what, sir?" Lily asked in confusion.

"My mother?" Harry challenged, still smiling as he looked straight into her eyes.

Staring into his emerald eyes, she saw her own green orbs, which always stared back at her from the mirror.

"You're my son?" she breathed in absolute shock.

"I intended to tell you when you were a fifth-year," Harry said, apologetically, "not during your first week at Hogwarts."

"I won't tell anyone," Lily promised. "I have many questions though."

Harry smiled, apologetically. "I'm sorry, Lily, but I can't and won't tell you anything about the future. I've already changed the future a lot. Maybe sometime in the future, I'll tell you more, but not at the moment. I'm sorry that I told you about it at all."

"It's all right, sir," Lily replied, smiling. "It gives me the chance to look forward to the future knowing that I'm going to have a son, of whom I can be really proud."

Harry rolled his eyes. Turning to one of the windows, he zoomed into Hogsmeade and showed Lily the magical town.

"I've been to Hogsmeade," Lily said, excitedly, "when Sev and I went to buy our school supplies. I love it. Too bad that students can only go there from third year onwards."

Harry grinned, thinking of making an excursion to the apothecary with his best Potions students sometime during the next weeks. "We'll see," he said, smirking, just when Ceridwen entered the room.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," she apologized, sounding strangely agitated.

"No problem dear, what happened?" Harry asked, before he quickly introduced his wife to his mother.

"Apparently, Severus Snape has been attacked by Sirius Black in the halls. He's now in the hospital wing together with Theresa and Poppy, and Poppy floo-called me and said that he was asking for the two of you."

Harry and Lily exchanged a glance, before Harry replied, "We'll go there right away."

"I'll be in the common room," Ceridwen said, calmingly.

Harry quickly kissed his wife, before he left the room and hurried downstairs.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Five minutes later, Harry and Lily entered the hospital wing. Severus was lying in the bed next to the healers' office, and Sirius Black was nowhere to be seen. Theresa and Minerva were sitting next to Severus' bed, while Poppy bustled around the other end of the wing.

"What happened?" Harry asked in a stern voice. Seeing that everyone looked at Severus, he added, "Severus, can you show me the memory?" remembering that older Severus had been very good at Legilimency.

"Yes sir," Severus replied, locking onyx orbs into the teacher's emerald eyes.

**_Beginning of memory_**

Severus was walking back from the Great Hall towards the dungeons, when all of a sudden James Potter and Sirius Black showed up.

"Oh look, the teacher's pet," Black said in a cackling voice, stepping into Severus' way.

"Go 'way and leave me in peace," Severus replied and proceeded to walk around the other boy towards the common room.

However, that did not go well with Sirius. "You think you're better than us because Potter told you he'd use your potion in the hospital wing. A stinky Slytherin, that's what you are, Snievellus, nothing more."

"Shut up and leave me in peace if you don't want me to brew something nice for you," Severus threatened in a dangerously quiet voice, causing Sirius to see red.

He waved his wand, casting the only spell that he knew, a cutting spell, at the other boy.

"Sirius!" James Potter finally spoke up, however, his friend was already running away.

"Come with me," James said to Severus, carefully helping the boy up from the dungeon floor. "Let me take you to the hospital wing."

**_End of memory_**

_'At least my father behaved civically,'_ Harry thought in relief, giving Severus a sharp look. The boy's cheeks were flushed, and small cuts were still visible all over the parts of his body that were not covered by the hospital pyjamas.

"Theresa, was that the spell, where the cuts get infected before they can be cured by potions?" he queried, sighing when the old healer nodded.

"Minerva, have you punished Black accordingly?" he then asked, anger swinging in his voice.

"I've assigned him detention with Hagrid for a whole week," the Gryffindor head replied crisply.

"Very well," Harry agreed, before he additionally took one hundred points from Gryffindor for Sirius' actions and awarded ten points to James Potter for taking Severus to the hospital wing. "Severus, we'll speak about the matter tomorrow. Come to see me after the last afternoon class," he instructed the boy, before he told Lily that she could keep Severus company as long as Theresa would allow it.

With that he returned to the common room, still feeling very upset about the incident. _'I really don't like bullies like Dudley,'_ he thought, when he entered the common room, where Remus immediately cornered him.

"Professor, what exactly happened, and is Severus all right?" he asked, concern written in his face.

Harry sighed and told his student about the incident in a small voice. "Thanks for caring about Severus," he added. "He'll be all right by the morning."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Apart from the classes, which he had to teach, Harry spent the following day pondering how he could convince the boy to accept the position of a student assistant. _'He'll wonder why I'd think that he'd be good enough at Potions,'_ he mused. However, he was unable to come up with a believable explanation, and too soon for his liking, the last afternoon class was over.

While he was waiting for the boy to come down all the way to the dungeons, he set up two cauldrons with the intention to commence working on Poppy's list right after finishing his conversation with Severus. _'Nonsense. I'll just tell him the truth,'_ he finally decided, just when a small knock at the door brought him back to reality.

"Hello Mr. Snape, how are you?" he greeted the boy, who hesitantly entered the classroom.

"I'm fine, sir. Thank you," Severus replied, seemingly uncomfortable at the attention.

"Very well," Harry said, lightly, and motioned the boy to take a seat, while he quickly cast a silencing spell around the classroom.

"You wanted to speak with me, sir?" the boy then asked, quietly.

"I'd like to suggest something to you," Harry told him and explained about the position of a student assistant.

"Excuse me, sir, but what exactly is a student assistant?" Severus queried, quirking an eyebrow in apparent confusion.

"Professors who have the increased work load due to being a teacher and head of house at the same time are entitled to choose a student, whom they deem adequate to help with their work," Harry explained, patiently. "The teachers here haven't used this offer for about two hundred years, just because they didn't feel that it was necessary, however, since I also have to brew the stock for the hospital wing, I'd like to make use of this feature, especially since you seem very adept at Potions and seem to already have an advanced knowledge. Apart from that, I thought that you might like to assist."

"I'd love it," Severus blurted out, seemingly excited. "Thank you so very much for giving me this opportunity, sir."

Harry merely smiled. During the following ten minutes, the two wizards agreed on a rough time table and on payment for Severus' work, which the boy vehemently refused at first. Finally, they proceeded to check the list that Poppy had given Harry earlier, and Severus named the potions that he was already able to brew flawlessly.

During the remaining time until dinner, Harry and his assistant brewed quietly next to each other, however, when they met again in the Potions classroom right after dinner, since it was Friday evening and Severus did not have to do any urgent homework, Harry made the boy assist him in order to speak with him. _'I can't disturb Severus while he brews something, but if he only has to prepare ingredients, we can talk at the same time,'_ he decided and instructed the student accordingly.

While he brewed a healing potion that he had already brewed at least five thousand times, he told the boy the truth about himself. He even admitted knowing Severus as an adult quite well.

"You know me in the future?" Severus repeated in disbelief. "I'm sorry, sir, but this story is so..." He slowly trailed off.

"Unbelievable?" Harry added, grinning broadly. "How many times do you believe I've been told that during the last nine hundred eighty years?"

A small smile played on the boy's lips, before he turned back to the ingredient that he was just preparing.

"Excuse me sir," he spoke up again, seemingly hesitating. "Could you perhaps tell me something about my future? And Lily's future?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm sorry my boy, but I can't tell you anything. Believe me though that I'm going to help you as much as I can, and at the beginning of your fifth year, I'll tell you more."

Severus nodded in understanding. "Thank you sir," he said, calmly.

Harry glanced at the boy. _'I'd be more than upset in his place,'_ he thought, remembering well how annoyed he had been when everyone in the future had been keeping his own future a secret from him.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Although Harry had merely made Severus his student assistant for the boy's sake, he could not deny that he was relieved having more time to spend in his own house and with Ceridwen and Annette. He realised soon that Severus was not only competent and could brew all potions up to OWL level perfectly, but he was also very responsible and reliable. Nevertheless, he was only a first-year, so that Harry saw to it that he was always nearby, when the boy brewed alone. His private lab was directly connected to his office, from which a door led into the Potter common room, so that Severus only had to shout if he needed Harry, even when the professor was in the common room.

To Harry's relief, Severus got along well with Theresa and Poppy, who had been the ones having problems with his predecessor. The two healers, whom Harry liked a lot, sometimes allowed the boy to brew in the small lab behind their office, when Harry was occupied elsewhere, especially at the beginning of Severus' second Hogwarts year.


	16. Chapter 16

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Annette was almost a year old, when Ceridwen shocked Harry once again with the news that she was pregnant with twins. This time, it was two girls, who were born on Halloween 1972.<p>

"Let's name them Helga and Rowena," Harry suggested as soon as he heard that the twins were going to be girls, and Ceridwen happily agreed.

Just like Ceridwen's and Harry's first children, the twins' faces had both Ceridwen's features along with Harry's black hair and green eyes. _'Again the problem how to distinguish them,'_ Harry thought in annoyance, however, he knew better than to ask his wife. In the past, she and Helga had been the only ones able to distinguish their children, and Fred and George had thoroughly enjoyed playing pranks on everyone who did not know who was who.

"Oh well, these are girls, and they're surely going to behave better than Fred and George did," he spoke up, absentmindedly, causing Ceridwen to laugh.

"Good luck with that," she replied, grinning, before she asked, "Who are we going to make their godparents by the way?"

Harry stared at his wife in surprise. He had not even thought of such a thing.

"I suggest Lily and Severus for Helga and Remus and one of our great granddaughters for Rowena," Ceridwen spoke up again. "Even if the twins shouldn't know that Lily is actually her granny, Lily will surely be happy to be their godmother. Maybe we don't even need a second one and could just make Lily godmother for both."

"Yes, that's better," Harry agreed, feeling strangely happy at the idea. "All three of them know about us, so that makes it much easier as if we'd choose someone else anyway."

"Exactly," Ceridwen replied, chuckling. "Why don't you invite all three of them here for dinner tonight? I'll excuse you with Albus and Severus with Theresa."

Harry knew better than to not agree to his wife's suggestion, knowing that she had always the best ideas. He stepped into his office and crossed the room towards his private lab, where Severus was diligently working on a potion.

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone the whole afternoon," he spoke up, as soon as he saw that Severus reached a stage, where he could put the potion on a stasis charm for a minute.

"That's all right, sir," Severus replied, smiling. "Did everything go well with the babies?"

"Yes," Harry replied, returning the smile. "My wife and I were thinking about making you, Lily and Remus their godparents. Would that be all right with you?"

"Me?" Severus asked in apparent surprise. "I'd like that," he added, seemingly happy.

ホグワーツへの組分け

While the parents and godparents had dinner together in the living room of Ceridwen's and Harry's quarters, the babies were fast asleep. However, right afterwards they began to cry and, while Ceridwen breast fed Helga, Lily stepped in for Harry and gave Rowena a bottle.

"My grandchild," she whispered, smiling, "you're beautiful."

_'I just hope Severus didn't hear that,'_ Harry thought, however, the Slytherin's face remained blank as he observed his friend interact with the baby.

From that time onwards, Lily came to assist with the babies every free minute.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was during the first Potions class of the new school year, Lily's third Hogwarts year, that Harry noticed that Severus' nose had a strange form. _'It looks as if it was broken,'_ he thought, bewildered, and asked the student to remain after class.

"Severus, what happened to your nose?" he queried in a soft voice.

The student squirmed under his sharp look. "I got in a fight," he replied, slowly.

"Nonsense," Harry replied, sharply.

"Sev, tell Professor Potter the truth," Lily threw in. "He'll be able to help you."

"Was it your father?" Harry asked, kindly.

"Yes," Severus replied, barely audibly, shyly averting his eyes to the dungeon floor.

"Severus, if you don't want to return to your father every summer, you have to speak with someone about the abuse in your house," Harry said, quietly. "If Theresa or Poppy - or even my wife - confirms that you've been abused at home, you won't have to return there anymore."

"But I've nowhere else to go," Severus threw in, sounding upset. "Before the holidays this year and last year, I asked the headmaster if I could remain at Hogwarts to assist you, but both times, he told me that I had to return home."

Harry let out a long sigh. "Severus," he said, patiently, "if you're abused at home, which you're clearly are, no one will send you back there. Secondly, I am the owner of Hogwarts, together with my wife, and if we allow you to remain at Hogwarts, there's nothing that the headmaster can do about it. Your father could, of course. So we either have to convince him to allow you to remain here, or we must have a trial against him because of child abuse. Let's go and speak with my wife."

ホグワーツへの組分け

After healing Severus' nose, Ceridwen had a long conversation with the boy, while Harry and Lily played with Annette and the twins. In the end, Ceridwen promised to write to Severus' father and ask for his consent that Severus could remain at Hogwarts in her and Harry's care during the next four summers until he would be of age.

To Harry's relief, Tobias Snape's reply came within a few days with the comment that he'd be happy to not have his freakish son return home every summer.

"Poor Severus," Harry merely commented, understanding all too well how the boy had to feel. Even after being alive for more than nine hundred years, he still remembered all too well how the Dursleys had treated him.

Severus was delighted when Harry told him that his father had agreed.

"Thank Merlin," he said, letting out a relieved sigh. "Professor, I can't tell you just how grateful I am. Thank you so very much for all that you've done for me."

"You're very welcome," Harry replied, smiling.

In order to prevent the headmaster from voicing any complaints about the matter, Ceridwen and Harry decided to become Severus' magical guardians, causing the boy to feel very much reassured and happy.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When the twins turned one year old, Harry began to take them and Annette to the Potter common room. While Annette was a very quiet child, the twins were little whirlwinds, just like their brothers had been nine hundred years ago. However, they were so cute that the students in Potter house could not get enough of them, and every evening, there was a group of girls offering to babysit them.

Knowing that Lily was always in the common room in the evenings and would have an eye on her three grandchildren, even if other girls were babysitting them, Harry gratefully agreed and often left his children in the common room, when he joined Severus in his lab to work on the potions for the hospital wing. At the same time, Ceridwen, who had taken the year completely off work, began to spend the evenings in the hospital again, knowing that the children were in good hands.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The year, in which the twins turned three, which was Lily's fifth Hogwarts year, turned out much more turbulent than any other year during the last five hundred years. _'Maybe it's just my feeling, because this concerns me much more,'_ Harry wondered from time to time.

James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew were apparently becoming bored with their daily study work. Added to that the fact that James Potter was very much interested in Lily Evans, who on the other side, seemed to have taken a great liking to Severus Snape, the three boys greatly despised the Slytherin. The feeling was even greater due to the fact that the three Gryffindors were jealous of the boy who was in the extremely rare position of a student assistant and as such even able to take house points off other students. Consequently, they decided to prank the Slytherin student, with or without his friends or housemates, at every opportunity.

Most of the time, they merely cast harmless transfiguration spells, like when James, who was the best of the trio at Transfiguration, transfigured Severus' glass into a rubber duck. However, when they met him in the halls, Sirius could easily cast nasty spells at the Slytherin, while Peter, who was not good at any kind of magic, merely watched and called the boy names.

What annoyed Harry most was the fact that neither Minerva, who was the trio's head of house, nor the headmaster ever properly punished the boys. They merely took ridiculously small amounts of house points. For the time being, Harry was merely watching, however, his patience was very close to an end.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Lily and Remus, who had also become good friends with Severus, did their best to never let Severus walk alone through the corridors, however, due to the fact that he belonged to a different house, this was not always possible.

_'I just hope that James will somehow manage to get Lily to marry him, otherwise, I won't even be born,'_ Harry thought one night, as he observed the two trios' interactions.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day, when Harry looked into his calendar like he did at least once a week, he saw that he was supposed to give Severus the older Severus' letter. _'The Christmas holidays will be a good timing,'_ he thought, _'since Severus is going to stay with us anyway.'_

His children, who were four and three years old, adored Severus. The older boy was very kind and always had time to read them a story or play with them. Although Severus would be able to remain in Slytherin over the Christmas holidays, Annette and the twins had already begged him last year to remain with them during all holidays, not only in the summer.

_'I'll better wait until after Christmas,'_ Harry resolved, not sure what exactly Severus was going to learn from his older self's letter.

However, as so often in life, something happened that almost made him forget about the matter.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Apparently due to not being punished properly, the Gryffindor trio, who called themselves the Marauders, continued playing pranks on Severus. It was during the last Potions class of the Gryffindor, Slytherin and Potter fifth years before the Christmas holidays that Sirius Black went overboard.

Harry still kept up the pairing that he had set up in his parents' first year, mainly in order to keep Lily paired with James and Severus with Remus.

Sirius was sitting just across the aisle from Severus, and on this Thursday in mid December, he saw fit to throw a chocolate frog into Severus' nearly finished potion.

Unfortunately, Severus was not brewing the harmless potion for sunburn like his classmates, who were studying for their OWLs. Knowing that the boy was well able to brew potions that were beyond NEWT level, Harry had made Severus take his Potions OWLs during the previous summer. Ever since then, Severus was brewing sixth and seventh years' potions during his Potions class in order to finish his Potions NEWTs at the end of the school year, right after taking his OWLs in all the other subjects.

The potion that Severus was brewing was the potion for the dragon pertussis, a seventh year and fairly dangerous potion if not handled carefully. Due to the impact by the chocolate frog, the potion exploded all over Severus, who could only quickly push Remus under the table but was unable to prevent himself from being hit by the burning liquid.

With a flick of Harry's wand, all potions were cleared from the students' cauldrons. "Ms. Evans, Mr. Lupin, please accompany Mr. Black to the headmaster's office," Harry quickly ordered the prefects, before he carefully scooped up Severus into his arms and hurried to the hospital wing, dismissing the class as he went.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Half an hour later, Harry strode towards the headmaster's office with the knowledge that Severus had not only second and third degree burns but on top of it was very likely that he would get sick with the dragon pertussis, which was going to be far from pleasant for the boy.

"Ah Professor Potter," Dumbledore spoke up, offering him a lemon drop that Harry impatiently declined. "How is Severus?" he then enquired.

Harry informed the headmaster as well as the deputy headmistress and the students about his student assistant's condition.

"I've already assigned Mr. Black detention with Hagrid until the end of the school year and taken one hundred points from Gryffindor," Minerva informed Harry.

"I'm sorry, Minerva, but that's not enough," Harry countered in a firm voice. "Mr. Black will be suspended from Hogwarts for a month, which is about the time that it'll take Mr. Snape to recover from the dragon pertussis."

Dumbledore shook his head, before he ordered Lily, Remus, Sirius and James, who had accompanied his friend to the headmaster's office, to wait in front of his office for a moment.

"Harry, we can't suspend Mr. Black," he said in a grave voice. "Mr. Black comes from a very dark family, and so far, it seems that we'll be able to pull him over to the light side, especially since he's a good friend of Mr. Potter. The Potters are firmly on our side, which will become even more important in the future, as Voldemort just seems to become more active."

"I don't care," Harry replied in a firm voice. "I wish Mr. Black to be suspended. He has been playing pranks on Mr. Snape since their first year, and every time the pranks become more dangerous. He needs to be properly punished in order to reflect his actions."

"Very well," the headmaster relented, fully aware that Harry could overwrite his decisions. He called the students back and informed Sirius about the result of the teachers' discussion.

Sirius paled visibly. "But headmaster," he stammered. "My parents..."

"Sirius," James threw in, "you can stay with my parents." Turning to Dumbledore, he said, "Professor, Sirius is having problems with his parents. They kicked him out last summer, and he spent the rest of the summer holidays with my parents and me. Could we please ask my parents if they can take Sirius in?"

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry did not bother to further listen to the conversation but excused himself and headed to his lab to brew a preventive potion for the dragon pertussis, closely followed by Lily.

"Professor," she asked in a small voice, "may I help, now that Severus can't assist? The sooner he gets the preventive potion, the more likely it is that it'll work, right sir?"

"Yes Lily," Harry replied, as he led her into his private lab, knowing that she was very adept at brewing and would be able to efficiently assist.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's relief, the preventive potion worked, and Severus did not come down with the dangerous illness. After a few days, his burns were healed, and in the morning of Christmas Eve, he was released into the care of his guardians.

"Sebbus!" the twins and Annette shouted in absolute delight, when Severus entered the living room behind Harry.

Harry grinned, knowing that his four children were once again going to have much fun this Christmas.

ホグワーツへの組分け

After Christmas, Harry finally handed Severus the letter from his older self. Unsure if he should leave the boy alone or if it would be better to remain in case the child had questions, he sat at the table and began to grade a pile of homework. Only from time to time, he unobtrusively glanced at Severus, who was wearing a confused expression.

After a while, the boy spoke up in a quiet voice. "Excuse me, Harry. May I go to the lab and brew something?"

Harry cast the boy a surprised look, before he replied, "You may, of course. I'll take these and sit in my office for a while then."

Severus spent the whole evening brewing potions from Theresa's and Poppy's list. Only when he extinguished the last flame, he finally began to speak.

"Thank you, sir," Severus said and, seeing Harry look at him in surprise, explained, "for preventing me from joining the Death Eaters and from keeping Black on his toes."

"Ahh," Harry replied in a soft voice, "you're very welcome my boy."

Severus tossed the letter at the professor. "Here, please read yourself," he said, sighing. "It mostly explains what went wrong in his life and how I can remedy it, then it informs me that Lily has to marry Potter in order for you to be born in four years' time..."

"Actually three and a half years," Harry threw in. "I was supposed to give you the letter at the beginning of the school year."

"All right," Severus said and continued, "He told me that the Dark Lord will go after Lily and James in five years' time, and that I should get together with you and think of a plan how to help them, although they mustn't be here for you until you'll begin Hogwarts."

Harry nodded in understanding. "Thank you for telling me, Severus. In fact, I've had many years of time to think about the matter, which he also told me when I last saw him, and I've already made a plan, which we will discuss sometime in the near future."

ホグワーツへの組分け

After multiple conversations with Ceridwen, Harry decided to not tell Lily anything. However, he used the time to make a more detailed plan for a certain Halloween night, and, only after Severus finished his Potions Mastery, he discussed the matter with his successor as Potions professor. On Severus' request, they made a few changes to Harry's plan, which seemed to be fool proof yet dangerous, especially for Severus.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One night, Harry found Severus in his living room drinking fire whisky.

"Severus," he said in surprise, knowing that Severus usually despised alcohol.

"I met Lily during the Hogsmeade visit," Severus answered the silent question in a quiet voice. "She told me that she's going to marry Potter." He glanced up, and onyx orbs stared into emerald green eyes. "Of course I knew that she had to marry Potter, and she told me that she doesn't love him, that it's only for you to be born next year, but still..." He slowly trailed off.

"I'm sorry," Harry finally said, causing Severus to vehemently shake his head.

"No Harry, there's nothing that you need to be sorry about. On the contrary. If not for you, I'd never see her again. This time, I know that I'm going to be able to be together with her in twelve years. Yes, it seems like an infinite time, but it isn't infinite," Severus replied with a weak smile playing on his lips.

"That's true," Harry agreed in a soft voice. "And we'll all be here for you."

"Sorry, I feel very ungrateful," Severus added. "I should be outright happy that you reserved the Potions professor's position for me, and I should be old enough to patiently wait twelve years."

Harry calmingly laid his hand on the young wizard's shoulder. "I fully understand, Sev. It's not easy. Even I would have wished for you and Lily to marry right away, but there are some things that we just can't change. I've already almost changed too much."

ホグワーツへの組分け

For both Harry and Severus, the following two years passed like in a trance. Harry sometimes met Lily, when she came to visit Minerva with Baby Harry. However, even if the baby was wearing his name, no one but Ceridwen, Lily and Severus knew that the baby was his younger self. The spell that Harry had cast at the headmaster, his deputy and several other professors was still working well.

Only when Lily and Harry were alone, Lily asked about Severus, however, she dare not visit him, afraid that someone could notice that her marriage with James Potter was not much more than a farce.

"How much does she know?" Severus enquired one day, when he joined Harry and his family on a Sunday afternoon.

"She knows that something is going to happen and that she'll eventually be together with you, but that's all," Harry replied, sighing. "I hope nothing will go wrong," he added, more to himself than to Severus.

"It won't," Severus replied, reassuringly. "I'm wondering how strong the Dark Lord's magic is though. Being the head of Slytherin, I sometimes have the pleasure to overhear the Death Eaters' children talk about him, but no one has ever said something about his magic. Therefore, I don't believe that it's significantly weakened."

Harry let out a long sigh. "We have to imagine that he's at least as powerful as we are. Otherwise, it'll be too dangerous."

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry, who was used to the brightness of Hogsmeade that had become a fairly large town, Godric's Hollow seemed very dark on this special Halloween night, when he entered his parents' residence in the early evening.

They waited in the garden, hidden behind concealment charms and a few bushes, for the Dark Lord to arrive. To Harry's surprise, it was still early in the evening, mere minutes after they had hidden, that the Dark Lord showed up and blasted open the entrance door.

Severus immediately followed the older wizard inside in order to cast his spell at James an instant before the Dark Lord was ready to kill his classmate. _'I must save him, I won't see him again anytime soon anyway,'_ he thought, and as soon as he observed that the Dark Lord reached into his pocket, he cast the spell that Harry had practised with him multiple times.

The light from the killing curse was still travelling towards James Potter, when the young wizard suddenly vanished from the spot, leaving the spell to hit the wall.

In the meantime, Harry had wished himself upstairs, where he stood in the darkest corner of his younger self's nursery, his wand trained on his mother.

Tears welled in his eyes, when he heard Lily beg Voldemort to kill herself and leave Baby Harry in peace. However, he was alert and fast enough to react on time. As soon as he noticed that the evil wizard prepared himself to cast a spell, he wished himself right next his mother, grabbed her arm and wished both of them to Hogwarts, nine hundred and ninety-one years in the past.

Unfortunately, due to the complete exhaustion of magic, he became unconscious on the way, leaving his mother to wonder where she was when they arrived. At least, his concealment charm failed with the depletion of magic, so that she knew that she was together with her grown up son, who had somehow saved her from Voldemort.

She looked up in surprise, when she heard a girl's voice speak to her, although no one seemed to be around in the small bedroom except for her and Harry.

"Hello there, I'm Hogwarts," the girl spoke to her. "I can sense that you're one of my founders' heirs. I'll inform the founders of your presence and send them here, so that they'll will be able to help you and Harry's older self."

ホグワーツへの組分け

While Harry was in a come, eleven-year-old Harry was thrilled to have his mummy at Hogwarts, and the founders enjoyed having someone who could teach them magic that was taught far in the future.

Only when Harry's mind turned back to awareness four weeks later could he inform the other founders and his mother of his plan to leave his mother in the past for ten years.

"We're happy to have you here, aren't we Harry?" Helga was the first to speak up, pulling little Harry into a light hug.

"Yes, very," the eleven-year-old replied, smiling.

_'I hope he won't realise who I am,'_ Harry thought and decided to travel back to the future right in the morning. Knowing better than to tell anyone about his plan, he wished himself back to his own time as soon as he woke up, arriving back on that fateful Halloween night.

_'I hope everything went as it was supposed to,'_ he thought and immediately headed to Severus' rooms, only to realise with a combination of disappointment and concern that the Potions Master was absent. _'At least I can get some potions,'_ he thought and gulped down a headache potion and a Pepperup potion in order to appear healthier than he actually felt when he would meet his wife in a few minutes' time.


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>When Harry arrived in his own rooms, he realised in relief that Severus was playing with his children. However, his relief was not going to last for more than a minute.<p>

"Harry!" Ceridwen greeted him, seemingly horrified. "How dare you do such a stunt? And no, I know that it was solely your idea, and considering that you look like death warmed up, I suppose that you've already realised how stupid the idea was."

"I'm fine," Harry replied, simply, giving his wife a kiss, before he turned to Severus. "Did everything go well?"

"Yes," the younger wizard replied, reassuringly, and explained that everything had happened like it was described in Harry's original version of _Hogwarts: A History_.

"So you sent my father one hundred years into the future," Harry stated, questioningly.

Severus smirked. "If I succeeded, yes," he admitted.

"Oh well, I suppose he doesn't know that it was you who cast the spell at him," Ceridwen threw in, dryly, before she went back to glaring at her husband. "So what? In ten years' time, you're going to go and bring Lily back here?" she enquired in a dangerously quiet voice.

Harry merely nodded, knowing that nothing he could say would help to lighten his wife's mood. _'Thank Merlin she doesn't know that I was in a come until yesterday,'_ he thought, inwardly sighing in relief.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following day, Harry was unable to prevent his thoughts from drifting to his younger self who had just been sent to his most horrible relatives. _'Maybe I should go and check on him from time to time,'_ he thought. _'On the other hand, no one ever came to look after me,'_ he told himself and decided that there was nothing that he could do for the baby.

At dinner time, he contented himself to merely quietly listen, when Minerva, Poppy and Theresa made a ruckus about the matter. The three witches verbally attacked the headmaster, however, Albus remained firm and insisted that the baby had to grow up with his relatives.

"They are the worst Muggles I ever met," Minerva told him in apparent disbelief.

"Harry's such a cutie. Why can't he grow up at Hogwarts?" Theresa queried.

"Minerva babysat him so often, he already feels at home here," Poppy agreed immediately.

However, the headmaster remained firm. "I've made my decision, and I've valuable reasons to do so. Therefore, I'd appreciate it if you'd accept my decision. I do not wish to discuss this matter anymore," he told them in a no nonsense voice, causing the witches to shake their heads in apparent annoyance.

Harry knew better than to interfere. He was just glad that no one associated young Harry Potter with himself.

However, this was not the last time that the topic made it to the head table. Every few months, Minerva or any other of the teachers asked about Harry, and the headmaster always reassured them that little Harry would be fine with his caring relatives.

Each time that the topic recurred, Harry became more upset at the headmaster. _'He doesn't care about my little self in the slightest, he only cares about the prophecy,'_ he realised, feeling utterly relieved that his older self had once told him everything concerning Voldemort, the prophecy and their future fights. _'He should be careful what he does, otherwise I'm going to take back the headmaster's position sooner than intended,'_ he thought in annoyance at Albus Dumbledore's behaviour.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In spite of all intentions to neither interfere not help little Harry, Harry wished himself into the boy's cupboard every few months. He always travelled during the night, so that his younger self did not see him, and he merely checked on the child, spelling a few potions into his system if necessary and left again. No one but Ceridwen got to know about the matter.

"I'd feel too bad if I didn't do as much, considering that I know how he's suffering from the treatment by the Dursleys," he told his wife, who immediately agreed with his plans.

He was even tempted to give the child his Hogwarts letter, however, he then decided to just let everything run its course.

"I can't wait to see Albus' face if Harry doesn't show up for the Sorting," he said one night, when he was enjoying a quiet Sunday evening at home together with Ceridwen and Severus, while the children were spending the evening in their common room in Potter house, where all three of them had been sorted a few years ago.

"Yes, I suppose we're going to be in for some fun," Severus agreed, smirking.

"Don't forget that you have to do something when Albus accuses Hagrid of losing the Philosopher's stone on your birthday," Ceridwen threw in, giving Harry a worried look.

"That has already been taken care of," Harry replied, smiling. "My older self told me that he saw to it. I'm just supposed to stay out of the way on that evening. He also informed me about what he did on the evening on which I was supposed to arrive for the Sorting, but I'm not sure if I want to follow his example or just sit at the head table and watch what's going to happen."

"Don't do anything, dear," Ceridwen advised him. "Everything is Albus' own fault anyway."

"Exactly," Severus agreed, raising an eyebrow at the older wizard, who was his mentor, father figure and friend all in one.

"I'll think about it," Harry promised, adding for himself, _'I still have the whole summer.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's great annoyance, the fact that young Harry Potter was going to come to Hogwarts became a recurring topic during the summer holidays, especially when the professors found out that the owls seemed to be unable to deliver the Hogwarts invitation letter to the boy.

"Hagrid, please go and hand the letter to the boy personally," Albus finally instructed the caretaker at dinner on the day before Harry's birthday, and the half-giant happily agreed.

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the afternoon of the following day, Harry toyed with the thought of travelling to the past in order to make sure that his younger self had properly arrived, however, he finally dismissed the thought, knowing that if not, there was not really anything that he could do about the matter. _'At the next opportunity, I have to go and bring Lily back here anyway,'_ he thought, wondering when it would be the best time for his travel.

After a longer conversation with Ceridwen and Severus, he decided to wait until Halloween to not have the headmaster make strange connections between Lily's sudden appearance and her son's disappearance.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following days, Harry noticed in relief that Hagrid's behaviour was not different to what it had been before the day on which he had accompanied his younger self to Diagon Alley. _'At least one thing, about which I don't have to worry,'_ he thought in relief. _'I really like Hagrid, and I wouldn't want him to get into trouble, especially not because of something that I did in the past.'_ The thought _'Hagrid is much happier now. He's a normal wizard, the caretaker of Hogwarts at that, and he's allowed to do as much magic as everyone else'_ penetrated his mind as he recalled how Hagrid had unobtrusively tried to cast magic with a broken wand hidden in an umbrella when he met him the first time.

ホグワーツへの組分け

A month passed quickly for someone who had already lived for one thousand years, and finally, the day of his younger self's supposed to be Sorting arrived.

He let himself sink into his chair at the high table, sighing at the prospect of teaching Charms for a year. The Charms teacher, a great granddaughter of himself, had retired in the summer, and, instead of installing one of his other great grandchildren, Harry had decided to reserve the position for his mother. _'Maybe she can already take over right after Halloween or after Christmas at the latest,'_ he thought, while he absentmindedly observed the older students rush into the Great Hall with much noise and excitement.

Just like he had done almost one thousand times already, Harry listened patiently, when Minerva called all the new students from her long list, and tried to remember the names in combination to the faces.

Half-way through the list, the professors realised in shock that one Harry Potter was missing in spite of being on the list.

"Continue for the time being," the headmaster advised his deputy, who swiftly finished the Sorting.

"Harry Potter is not here. Never mind, let the feast begin," Dumbledore spoke up, absentmindedly, and dinner popped up on the tables.

"I've seen Potter at the apothecary the day before yesterday, where he bought a potion for the unicorn measles," Severus spoke up, setting up an indifferent expression.

"Hagrid, did you show the boy how to get on the Hogwarts Express?" Albus enquired, and for once, his baby blue eyes were not twinkling.

"Yes sir," the half-giant emphasized, nodding reassuringly.

"Let's discuss the matter after dinner in my office," the headmaster decided, apparently realising that many students were observing the high table with obvious interest.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was half through the feast that one of the first years suddenly let out a small shout, before she scurried to the high table, a thick book firmly in her hand.

A small smile stole itself on Harry's face, as he remembered the girl, whom he had met a very long time ago.

"Professors," she spoke up in excitement. "The charm that I placed on my self-updating copy of '_Hogwarts: A History'_ just alerted me to the fact that there are 285 updates today."

"Excuse me, Ms...?" Dumbledore replied, giving the girl a questioning look.

"Granger," she replied, eagerly, "Hermione Granger, and I'm a first year." She handed her favourite book to the headmaster, who immediately engrossed himself in his reading.

"What is it, Albus?" Minerva asked, urgently, after sending the girl back to the Potter table.

"Harry Potter won't be sorted today," Harry spoke up, seeing that the headmaster was completely engrossed in the book, which he had written during the last thousand years and published it fifty years ago. In fact, he had published two versions, a normal book and one that was equipped with a self-updating charm.

"What?" the headmaster blurted out in clear displeasure, and Harry felt a huge amount of magic whirl around the high table.

"Albus, get your magic in grip," he heard Minerva admonish the headmaster in a quiet voice.

"Harry Potter was neglected and abused by the family, with whom Professor Dumbledore placed him when he was a baby," Harry explained to the students and teachers equally. "After learning about the magical world a month ago, he travelled to the time of the founding of Hogwarts, where he attended school and became the fifth founder of Hogwarts and the name-giver of Potter house."

He interrupted himself, when the sound of cracking windows penetrated the Great Hall from the charmed ceiling.

Harry jumped from his seat and, together with Severus and a few of the other professors, cast a strong Protego charm over the complete hall, followed by a spell that repaired the windows on the walls underneath the ceiling.

"Albus, get a grip on yourself," Minerva spoke up in a strict voice, sounding very upset.

"Especially since it's your own fault," Theresa added.

"You were the one who placed the baby with an abusive family," Poppy agreed, joining her friends in a collective glare towards the headmaster.

"I'm sorry," Albus said in a barely audible voice, seemingly trying to keep his anger at bay.

"Are **you** Harry Potter?" Hermione, who was still standing next to the head table, queried in disbelief. "But how come..." She slowly trailed off, giving Harry an assessing look.

"Later," Harry mouthed, smiling at the girl in reassurance, causing the first-year to nod and return to her house table.

"But the prophecy," the headmaster stammered and turned to the Divination professor. "Sybil, you're fired. Please leave the castle tonight."

Harry inwardly grinned. Trelawney was the only professor who had ever been installed as a Hogwarts teacher by anyone else than Godric or himself. He had allowed the headmaster to choose someone for the position, knowing from his older self to not interfere in this specific case.

"Firenze will become the new Divination professor," Albus spoke up, thoughtfully.

"No sir," Harry contradicted. "My great granddaughter Miriam is predestined for the position, as she is a real seer. Frankly speaking, you did enough harm by hiring a fraud as Sybil."

The headmaster nodded in defeat, knowing that Harry always had the last word and could overwrite all of his decisions. "All heads of the houses, please come to my office after the feast to discuss the matter," he informed his colleagues, who all agreed except for Harry and Severus.

"Excuse me, headmaster, but I have a house meeting to hold," Severus spoke up in a soft voice.

"Same here," Harry added, firmly.

"Well afterwards then please," Albus replied, sounding extremely annoyed.

'After the house meeting, meet me in my office,' Harry told Severus, telepathically, thinking, _'Good that Salazar taught me telepathy. In front of Albus Dumbledore it might be more necessary than it was in any other time.'_

'All right.' Severus' telepathic response came immediately.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The house meeting in Potter house took about twice the time as usual, because the new first-years, especially one girl with bushy brown hair and another boy, who seemed a bit shy at first, had many questions.

"Excuse me, sir," Hermione was the first to speak up, as soon as Harry finished his traditional monologue. "You are Harry Potter? If it's true what you told us at the feast, you must be more than one thousand years old."

"That I am," Harry replied, smiling, and informed the students about the potion that he and his wife had taken as first-years without an idea about the effects.

"Excuse me, sir," a boy with brown hair and a friendly smile spoke up, "if you're really the Harry Potter, who was born on the day after me, my mother is your godmother."

Harry smiled. "Yes, Neville, and I know your parents well."

"You're the Potions Master who healed them, right?" Neville asked and, seeing Harry nod, added, "Thank you so much, sir."

"You're welcome my boy," Harry replied, smiling. "I'm happy that there was an old potion, which Potions Masters in this time didn't know but was able to cure them."

"Are you a Potions Master, sir?" Hermione queried in apparent confusion. "I heard that you were the Charms professor."

Inwardly groaning, Harry explained the matter and answered at least one hundred more questions coming from Hermione and Neville, before he ended the meeting and sent the first-years to bed, as soon as Ceridwen joined him.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Together with Ceridwen, Harry showed Severus the secret room behind the staff room, from where they could listen and look into the headmaster's office.

Severus was stunned. "I never knew about the existence of such a room," he said in clear surprise.

"No one but my wife and I knew about this for a few hundred years," Harry replied, grinning. "I made it in the time of the founders."

"Harry and Severus are really late," Minerva spoke up, looking from the other heads of the houses to the headmaster. "I still have to sort out the timetables."

"Yes, that's true," Albus agreed and suggested to just commence.

Together, Harry, Ceridwen and Severus listened how the headmaster explained everything about the prophecy to his colleagues.

"The prophecy is just not true," Minerva replied, lightly. "We all know that Sybil was a fraud."

"But it must be true," the headmaster contradicted. "That's why Voldemort went after the Potters and marked Harry with the scar."

"My father doesn't have a scar," Annette, who was the new Herbology professor, threw in.

"Baby Harry had a scar," Albus insisted. "How do we know that the older Harry Potter tells the truth at all?"

While in the spy room, everyone rolled their eyes, the teachers in the headmaster's office honoured the headmaster's words with a collective snort.

"Thank Merlin that Helga cast a spell at me to hide my scar nine hundred years ago," Harry blurted out, chuckling, causing Ceridwen and Severus to laugh.

"Well, we need to hear what Harry has to say about the prophecy, provided that he's aware about it," Albus continued, "however, if he really is Harry Potter, he'll still have to fulfil the prophecy."

"Nonsense," Minerva and Annette replied, simultaneously.

"We'll see," the headmaster said in clear disappointment and adjourned the meeting.

"Of course I will deal with Voldemort," Harry said, sighing, as he observed the headmaster end the meeting in the headmaster's office together with his wife and Severus. "However, that's not because of a ridiculous prophecy, but because I know what's going to happen in advance due to the information from my older self."

During the next hour, he told his wife and the young wizard who was close to a son for him about his older self's encounters with Voldemort. "Several things have changed though," he added, pensively. "The Philosoper's stone is not hidden at Hogwarts, as it simply doesn't exist anymore, no one will be able to harm let alone kill anyone through Amaterasu, as she is my familiar now and I'm casting a spell that prevents anyone from getting harmed by her every year. Moreover, Voldmort must be magically weakened." Seeing Ceridwen and Severus give him questioning looks, he sighed.

"I know that he managed to cast the killing curse at my parents, but still," he continued. "We don't even know how powerful these spells were. Anyway, I believe that he was not able to make as many Horcruxes as he did in my older self's timeline, and therefore, it should be easier to get rid of him."

"Let's hope that you're right," Ceridwen replied, smiling.

"If there's anything I can do to help, I'll be here," Severus added in his soft, baritone voice, causing Harry to smile.

"I'm probably going to need your assistance," he announced, before he left the spy room together with his wife and friend.

ホグワーツへの組分け

_'This is the class that I was supposed to be in,'_ Harry thought, as he taught the Gryffindor, Slytherin and Potter first years in the morning. _'Hermione and Neville are really nice. It wouldn't have been bad to attend classes together with them,'_ he thought, as he observed Herimone patiently show Neville the wand movement. He then looked at the Gryffindors and Slytherins and inwardly sighed. _'I just hope that Draco will behave better than his father,'_ he thought, before he awarded five points to Slytherin, when Blaise managed to make his feather float over his desk.

"At least the professor is fair and gave points to all houses unlike Snape, who clearly favourites the Slytherins," he heard Ronald Weasley rant to Draco Malfoy, when the boys left the classroom.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley," Harry commented, dryly, "for badmouthing my colleague. If you did not gain house-points in your Potions class, I'm sure that you didn't deserve any."

While the Slytherins and Potters laughed, Ronald Weasley turned back from the classroom, growling in anger.

"What a pity, Weasel," Harry heard Draco Malfoy say, before he closed the classroom door and headed to the Great Hall for lunch.

_'Ronald seems to be not as alert as his brothers,'_ he thought, shaking his head at the redhead's behaviour, who was now engrossed in a verbal fight with Draco Malfoy a bit further down the staircase.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The first two months of the school year passed uneventfully. Harry felt extremely relieved. His older self had told him about a stuttering professor, who had been possessed by Voldemort, however, since Harry had made it a habit to mainly install his great grandchildren as teachers, the professor in question was not at Hogwarts.

_'I wonder where Voldemort is though. How can I fight him, when I don't even know about his whereabouts?'_ he wondered multiple times.

One day, however, he heard from Ceridwen that a man was in the hospital who seemed to be possessed by a spirit.

"He tried to flee from the hospital twice already, but we're keeping him now," she informed him.

Harry checked his notes, which his older self had left him, only to notice that the Quirinus Quirrell whom Ceridwen was talking about had to be the wizard who was possessed by Voldemort.

"Please keep him," he said in determination. "I'll go and ask Godric and Rowena if they can invent a spell to only kill the spirit out of the other person's head. I have to go and fetch Mum back anyway."

"Harry, I don't like it. As to the matter with Quirrell all right, but please don't hurt yourself bringing Lily with you."

"I'll be careful, and I'll ask Hogwarts to give me some magic before I leave," Harry promised.

ホグワーツへの組分け

A few hours later, Harry returned with Lily in tow. Knowing how much he had depleted his magic when he took Lily to the past, Helga had filled him up with as many potions as possible and instructed Lily to put Harry's hand against Hogwarts' wall immediately upon their arrival in the future.

Luckily, all these measures helped, so that Harry remained alert without depleting his magic completely. He took Lily with him to his private quarters, where Ceridwen was - rather impatiently - waiting for them. After making a fuss about Harry and greeting Lily, she allowed Harry to call Cicero, Severus' private house-elf, and instruct him to tell Severus about Lily's arrival.

Mere minutes later, the younger Potions Master strode into the room and, after a few minutes of conversation, led Lily into his own room, which he still had in Ceridwen's and Harry's quarters.

Harry and Ceridwen exchanged a knowing look.

"I hope everything will go well," Harry whispered, causing Ceridwen to nod in agreement.

"I think it will," she replied in a soothing voice, before she pulled her wand and began to thoroughly check on Harry. "You'll never, ever do such a stunt again," she said, sternly. "Is that clear?"

"Yes dear," Harry replied, sighing as he thought, _'I don't intend to do such a thing, but if I do, I'll make sure to hide it from Ceridwen.'_

After making Harry drink a few potions, Ceridwen finally allowed him to attend the Halloween feast, just before Lily and Severus came out of Severus' room.

"Lily agreed to become my wife," Severus informed Ceridwen and Harry, who were close to parents for him.

"Congratulations," Ceridwen replied, happily smiling at the young couple.

"That's great," Harry agreed. "I'm very happy for you. By the way, Lily, would you be willing to become the Charms professor?"

"I'd like that," Lily replied, enthusiastically, and admitted, "In fact, I have also taught Charms in the past. I'm very impressed, by the way, how you invented the Herbology position, built Potter house and whatever else you did at such a young age. It was amazing."

"Thank you Lily," Harry replied, blushing at the unexpected praise.

"Very well then, let's go and attend the Halloween feast," Ceridwen suggested, ushering everyone out into the hall.

"Please go ahead," Harry replied, quietly. "I'll be there in a few minutes. I just have an errand to run that I wish to get over with before the feast."

"You're not going to do anything dangerous, do you?" Ceridwen asked, strictly, shooting him a glare that Lily seconded.

"Of course not," Harry promised, smirking.


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Knowing better than to tell his wife what he was going to do, Harry headed out onto the grounds and strode straight into the hospital. Since everyone in the hospital knew him as Potions Master and husband of the head healer, he only had to ask for Quirinus Quirrell and was led into the possessed wizard's room.<p>

Harry explained to the healers and mediwitches, who accompanied him, what he intended to do.

"Will it be safe for you, Harry?" one of the healers enquired in apparent concern.

"Should we call Ceridwen?" another asked.

"Oh no, she would only worry," Harry replied, inwardly groaning. "And yes, I'll be all right, and Mr. Quirrell should be all right, too." Knowing that the spell which was going to cast could be dangerous, especially since they did not have a chance to really try it out in the past, he asked everyone to leave, letting out a relieved sigh when they complied.

As soon as everyone had left, he turned to Quirinus Quirrell. Just to be sure that the man would not fight him, he cast a stunning spell at him, before he concentrated on the spell, which he had invented together with Rowena and Godric.

While from the instant he had entered the room onwards his scar had been prickling, like it always had when Tom had been a student and was nearby, as soon as he began to cast the spell, his head exploded in pain.

"Kill him before he kills me," he heard a voice, however, due to the stunning spell, Quirrel remained unmoving.

"Shut up Tom," Harry hissed. _'I just have to get through this,'_ he told himself and continued casting the spell, while a black cloud emerged from the wizard's head. As soon as the cloud found itself completely outside of Quirrel's head, he cast a cleansing spell at it, causing it to turn white, before he completely vanished the cloud.

Knowing that the healers would deal with Quirrel, he immediately left the room, glad that his scar had stopped hurting.

"Will he be all right?" he asked, once the healers surrounded Quirrell casting spell over spell.

"Yes, he'll eventually be fine," one of them finally confirmed. "You probably saved his life. Thank you very much for what you did here today."

"It was my pleasure," Harry replied, smirking, and left the hospital, knowing that he urgently had to show up at the Halloween feast if he wanted to prevent Ceridwen from worrying.

_'Thank Merlin that we don't have Quirrell as the Defence professor like my older self told me,'_ he thought, as he strode towards the castle. _'I wouldn't have wanted to have Tom at Hogwarts for two or three months, apart from the fact that Remus is a brilliant Defence professor.'_

In spite of the fact that he usually hired members of his family for the teachers' positions, when his parents had finished their NEWTs, he had not only installed Severus as the Potions professor but also Remus as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and so far he had not regretted his decisions.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Ever since the Weasley twins had come to Hogwarts a little more than two years ago, Harry intended to speak with them in private. However, it was on the following day that Harry finally took action.

During the Halloween feast, someone had apparently laced the Slytherins' food or drinks with a potion that made them sick to their stomachs. When in the morning, all Slytherin students were ill, Severus informed Harry about the matter and asked him to investigate, since he had classes to teach.

_'So much about enjoying my newly found freedom now that Lily is teaching Charms,'_ Harry thought and, after debating with himself who would be able to pull through with such a stunt, strode by his house table shortly before breakfast was over.

"Weasley and Weasley, follow me into my office for a moment," he instructed the twins, who cast him surprised looks but nodded.

ホグワーツへの組分け

"What is your first class?" he enquired on the way to his office.

"Potions," the twins replied.

"Very well," Harry said, knowing that Severus would understand why he kept students from being on time for once.

"Do you perhaps have anything to do with the fact that the whole Slytherin house is ill this morning?" he asked, colloquially.

The twins exchanged a horrified look.

"It was not our intention..."

"... to make anyone sick," they explained in small voices.

"We brewed a potion..."

"... and it was supposed to make their skin green..."

"... just during the feast..."

"... We've no idea..."

"... what went wrong."

Harry sighed, thinking, _'At least they didn't try to lie to me.'_ "Show me the recipe," he demanded.

Staring at him in apparent surprise, Fred handed him a small parchment, which Harry studied carefully.

"Yes, it's the combination of moon fern and frog eggs," he thought aloud. "You should have stirred counter clockwise after adding the frog eggs and only have taken half the amount of moon fern," he informed the twins.

"Why do you know so much about Potions, sir?" the twins blurted out, simultaneously, followed by a "We're sorry."

"I'm a Potions Master," Harry informed the boys, smirking. "Since you didn't intend to make anyone sick, I won't punish you this time," he continued. "However, I suggest that you come to my office tonight after dinner, and we'll brew some chocolates, which you can give to the Slytherins as an apology."

"Yes sir..."

"... thank you sir," the twins replied, looking at Harry in apparent relief.

"The next time you brew something funny, please come to me and show it to me in advance," Harry continued in a stricter voice and at the same time promised, "I won't give you out."

An instant later, two happy twins left the founder's office.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Late in the evening, Harry headed to the Slytherin common room, carrying a huge box with chocolate phoenixes.

All students looked up in surprise, as it was only extremely rarely that another head of house entered a common room and had not occurred in Slytherin since they could remember.

"Good evening," Harry greeted them in a friendly voice. "I hope you're all feeling better now." Seeing the students nod, he placed the huge box on a table and explained, "The culprits told me that it was a potions accident and they did not intend to make you ill. To make up for it, they have brewed chocolate phoenixes for you - under my supervision."

To his relief, the students did not question him. Some of them knew that he was one of the founders and had been at Hogwarts forever, others knew him as a very fair professor who had no problems awarding points to Slytherin or taking from his own house.

"Thank you sir," one of the seventh year prefects finally replied. "If you're sure that these chocolates are all right and not another prank, we'll enjoy them."

"I'm absolutely certain," Harry confirmed.

From that time onwards, Harry tutored the twins in joke potions once a week, resolving to tell them about the joke shop right after their Potions OWL, which was still two and a half years ahead.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Knowing that it would have been his own Hogwarts year if he had properly attended Hogwarts without travelling through the sands of time, Harry observed the first-years with interest, especially wondering where people like Hermione, Neville and Blaise would have ended up if there was no Potter house.

Since Harry did not have classes to teach at the moment, as the owner of Hogwarts he took the position of a student advisor and informed the students that they could come to his office and speak with him about school problems or private problems whenever they needed help or even just an advice. He also promised the students that not a word of what was spoken about in his office would leave the walls of his office.

During the last few hundred years, he had already taken the position of a student advisor multiple times, and every time, many students had come searching his advice. To Harry's relief, who especially wanted to get to know the students of his own original time, it was not different this time. Students of all ages and from all houses came to speak with the always kind professor, whenever he was in his office, and Harry enjoyed his conversations with the young witches and wizards immensely, knowing that they were keeping him mentally young in spite of his age.

One day, Hermione told him how she had met his younger self at Diagon Alley, causing Harry to smile.

"Please don't tell my younger self about me," he instructed the girl and told her how his older self had pretended being a ghost to him, when he still was a first-year student. _'I have to remember to do that small masquerade for my younger self in the summer after Hermione's seventh year,'_ he thought to himself.

"Professor," Hermione spoke up, sounding pensive. "I know that _Hogwarts: A History_ was written by you, but do you perhaps still have the copy that you bought before you came to Hogwarts for the first time?"

Harry smiled. _'Leave it to Hermione to ask such a thing,'_ he thought with a combination of admiration and amusement. "Yes, I still have the book. Would you like to borrow it?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow.

Hermione's eyes began to shine in apparent excitement. "Yes sir, please," she replied, eagerly. "I'd love to read how everything would have turned out."

Harry rose from his chair and stepped around the desk to fetch one of his oldest books from his bookshelf, which he handed the girl who thanked him profusely.

"I hope you won't be disappointed by all the changes I made," he added, more to himself than to the girl, looking up in surprise at her response.

"No professor, I'm certain about that," Hermione replied, smiling. "Only last week, I received a chocolate frog card of you and read for the first time that you've received the Order of Merlin more often than anyone else. How could I be disappointed, knowing that you must have helped many people in order to achieve such a goal?"

"Ah, it was not a big deal," Harry replied, inwardly groaning whilst smiling at the eager girl, who contradicted immediately.

_'It's as if they were all my children,'_ Harry thought, feeling very happy to be able to help the students with homesickness, assignments or friendship problems.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was shortly after the beginning of the next school year that Hogwarts one evening asked Harry to go and visit Amaterasu, since the basilisk seemed very distressed that evening.

"Of course," Harry replied, alert, and immediately made his way to Salazar's chamber, although he had only visited the basilisk on Sunday morning like he had always tried to do.

"Amaterasssu, what happened?" he asked upon entering the chamber.

"Ahhh Harry, I'm sso sssscared," the basilisk replied and explained that a girl had come with a book, from which a boy had emerged. "The one was a ssspeaker like you, but he wassss bad," she continued. "He told me to go into the cassstle and kill the mugglebornssss." She looked at Harry, teary-eyed. "When I refusssed, he told me he'd come again and make me go."

Harry shook his head in annoyance. "Don't worry, Amaterasssu, no one can make you do ssuch a thing, becausse I casst the sspell like every year," he replied, soothingly, gently caressing the basilisk's skin.

_'I wonder if I can do Legilimency on a basilisk,'_ Harry thought and finally decided to make an attempt. He asked Amaterasu to think about the girl and the boy and look into his eyes, so that he'd be able to watch the memory.

Staring into large basilisk eyes, Harry observed how Ginny Weasley, the twins' small sister, who was a Gryffindor first-year, led Tom Riddle into the Chamber of Secrets. He profusely thanked the basilisk for the information and reassured her that the girl and the boy would never come again to bother her.

With that he hurried straight to Minerva's office, where he informed the Gryffindor head about the activities of one of her little lions. Fifteen minutes later, they confiscated the book from Ginny Weasley, and Harry spent the following hour in his office, consoling the shocked girl. After making her drink a cup of hot cocoa that he had unobtrusively laced with a calming draught, he finally escorted her back to Gryffindor. It was almost curfew when he wished himself to Hogsmeade, where he handed the book to one of the goblins at Gringotts with the request to destroy the item.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day, shortly before Halloween, the headmaster called Harry and Lily into his office. He motioned them to take a seat and offered a round of lemon drops, before he directly addressed Harry.

"Harry, do you know about the prophecy?" he enquired, giving Harry a sharp look.

"What prophecy?" Harry countered, feigning surprise.

"There's a prophecy about you and Voldemort," the headmaster informed him and turned to Lily, asking, "Is Harry here really your son?"

"Of course," Lily replied in apparent confusion, while Harry inwardly rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Is that so?" Albus enquired. "Well Harry, in this case, I'm afraid that you'll have to fulfil the prophecy," he said, citing a prophecy like something that he had learned to remember by heart for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Albus," Harry replied, "but during the last one thousand years, I've never accepted orders from anyone, and I'm not inclined to change this now." _'Oh well, except for orders from the parents who raised me, the other founders, and from Ceridwen, but surely not from Dumbledore,'_ he thought in annoyance.

"Harry is fully right," Godric, who usually remained quiet in his portrait, suddenly spoke up. "No one has to tell my heir what to do, especially not here at Hogwarts."

"I agree," Lily added. "I know that there was a prophecy, which is why Voldemort went after us in the first place, however, as long as he doesn't attack Harry, I don't see why Harry should do anything."

By the time the headmaster adjourned the meeting, his eyes were void of their usual twinkle, and he looked very tired. _'Of course I'm going to do something about Voldmort, but I'm definitely not going to speak about it with Albus,'_ Harry thought, when he accompanied Lily to her and Severus' quarters. _'I've already spoken about everything with my older self, and if I need any advice, I'll go and ask Ceridwen, Severus or Lily. It'll still be about two years before Voldemort will show up again anyway.' _The thought '_Maybe I should just go to the future and finish everything,'_ popped up in his mind, however, dismissed the idea right away.

ホグワーツへの組分け

He curiously entered Severus' and Lily's rooms, wondering what his mother wanted to speak about.

"What did he want?" Severus greeted Lily and Harry, raising an eyebrow at his wife.

"Remind me of the prophecy between Tom Riddle and me," Harry replied, grumpily, only to add, "As if I hadn't known about that for about one thousand years."

Lily and Severus laughed. "Well, even if he knows the truth about you, he still thinks that he's the oldest and wisest wizard alive," Severus said, smirking. "He's a meddling old coot."

Harry full heartedly agreed, giving his mother an expectant look.

"Harry, you're going to become a big brother next summer," Lily finally spoke up.

"Poor child," Harry replied, jokingly. "If anyone asks him how old his big brother is and he says something like one thousand, no one is going to believe him."

"That's true," Severus agreed, smirking. "Maybe we should tell him that you're his great grandfather."

"Sev, Harry," Lily threw in, sounding upset. "Is it impossible to just lead a normal conversation with the two of you?"

"Sorry Lily," Harry replied, smiling at his mother, "and congratulations. I'm very happy to hear that. By the way," he added as an afterthought, "if you think that we're joking too much, you should have met your first grandchildren, Fred and George. They were worse than the Weasley twins. Apart from that, please remember that I've known Severus for more than one thousand years."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Well then we have two questions," she said, sighing. "First of all, would you be willing to become his godfather, perhaps together with Ceridwen?"

"Yes and your second question?" Harry asked in amusement.

"Considering your long experience, we thought that you might come up with an adequate name for the baby," Severus spoke up, quirking an eyebrow.

"Salazar," Harry replied, immediately. "Since he named his first son, Severus, after you, wouldn't it be more than adequate if you returned the favour?"

Seeing Lily and Severus stare at him in confusion, he explained how Severus had saved many lives in the past by giving Harry the ingredients that were necessary to brew the antidote to the unicorn measles. "You're a hero in the time of the founders," he finished his explanation, grinning at the man who had turned out to be his best friend.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was on the last day of classes before the summer holidays, and Harry was sitting in his office, reflecting that except for the matter with Ginny Weasley and Amaterasu it had been a quiet school year. _'The holidays are going to be more exciting, especially after Salazar is going to be born,'_ he thought, smiling in anticipation.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Hermione entered his office.

"Harry," she said, letting out a deep sigh. "I need your advice. I don't know what to do. We're supposed to choose two of the elective subjects, but there are so many, and I just can't decide. Is there any way to take them all?"

Inwardly rolling his eyes, Harry motioned the excited girl to take a seat and calmly replied, "No Hermione, that's not possible. Otherwise, we wouldn't have made these subjects selective."

Sighing again, Hermione queried, "Which subjects are the best then, sir? What would you recommend for me?"

"There's nothing like a best subject," Harry replied, patiently. "It depends on the person's interest." He remained pensive for a moment, before he continued, "If I had to choose two of the offered subjects, I'd take Healing and Latin. But depending on what profession you're going to choose in the future, Ancient Runes or Arithmancy might be more useful than Latin. If you, for example, intend to invent spells or charms, Latin is more valuable."

Hermione nodded in understanding. "I'd love to become a professor after taking my NEWTs."

After two quiet minutes, during which Harry let all the current Hogwarts professors pass in front of his mind, he said in determination, "If that's so and you don't mind what you're going to teach, I'd suggest that you take Runes and Latin, provided that you wish to become a professor at Hogwarts. The Ancient Runes post and the Latin post will both be vacant in a few years' time. All the other professors are still too young to ask them to retire," he added, smirking.

Hermione's eyes widened at Harry's words, and she stared at the professor in clear admiration, before she got a grip on herself and profusely thanked her head of house.

_'I'm a meddling old coot just like Albus,'_ Harry thought, smirking, after the girl had left his office, seemingly even more excited than before. _'On the other hand, I believe that it's correct if I choose the best people as professors here. I owe as much to Hogwarts, and since our twins decided to become healers and work at the hospital, I can as well hire some non-family professors.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

Just a year after this conversation with Hermione, Harry called the Weasley twins into his office. Instead of explaining anything from the beginning, he showed them the memory of their encounter with his younger self at Diagon Alley in his Pensieve.

When they emerged from the Pensieve, he explained, "This scene, if it's going to take place at all, due to the fact that all business is now taking place at Hogsmeade and not at Diagon Alley like it was in my old timeline, is supposed to occur in two years' time. However, after our encounter at that time, I took matters into my own hand and already founded the joke shop one thousand years ago - for you, respectively for my first twin children, whom we named after the two of you. The shop is situated at Hogsmeade and, whilst I have been and will always be a co-owner of the shop, it'll belong to the two of you, as soon as you've taken your NEWTs."

"Oh Harry..."

"... thank you so much..."

"... but we can't accept such a thing," the twins replied, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

"You can and you will," he said, simply. "Currently, two of my great grandchildren are looking after the shop together with their spouses, however, I have already informed them that we're going to separate the joke shop from the apothecary in two years' time and that they'll only be responsible for the apothecary afterwards."

The twins merely stared at him, unable to comprehend their luck.

"Wait a moment sir..."

"... Is what you're talking about..."

"... the joke shop part of _'Potters Potente Potions'?"_ they finally enquired in apparent excitement.

Harry nodded in confirmation. "There's just one condition," he continued and informed the twins that they needed to become Potions Masters in order to brew their own potions for the joke shop. "If you wish to remain at Hogwarts over the summer, I can teach you, so that you'll be able to take your NEWT in Potions next summer and the Potions Mastery the year after," he suggested to the stunned students.

"Yes sir, please," they finally replied, simultaneously, before they excitedly dashed away to write to their mother.

ホグワーツへの組分け

As Harry had secretly expected, on the following evening, the fireplace in his office flared, and Molly Weasley's head appeared in the flames. _'I knew she wouldn't like the idea,'_ he thought, as he stepped over to the fireplace, inwardly sighing.


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>"Hello Molly," Harry greeted the witch and invited her to come through and have tea together in his office.<p>

Mrs. Weasley quickly accepted the invitation, still remembering Harry well from her own time at Hogwarts.

"Is something wrong?" Harry enquired, innocently, giving the woman a questioning look.

Molly sighed. "Not exactly wrong," she admitted, pulling a parchment out of her robe pocket. "I just received a very confusing letter from the twins. They are talking about taking over the joke shop part of _Potters Potente Potions _in Hogsmeade, which seems like a fairy tale to me." She slowly trailed off, looking at Harry in confusion.

Harry smiled and told the surprised woman how he had met the twins during one of his time travels and how everything had developed from that time onwards. "When I built the shop for my own twin children, I already intended to give it to Fred and George," he explained, smiling. "It's just that they need to be Potions Masters in order to sell their own potions at the shop, which is why I offered to teach them during this summer and the next, so that they'll be able to take their Potions Masteries right after their NEWTs."

Seeing that Molly nodded in understanding, he continued, "The twins can either take the floo to Hogwarts every morning and return home in the evening, or they can just stay here over the summer."

Molly shook her head in denial. "Thank you Harry, but you're already doing so much for them. They'll well be able to take the floo to Hogwarts in the morning and return home when they're finished. Thank you so much for helping them. I really don't know what these trouble makers would be able to do otherwise." She let out a deep sigh.

Harry's expression became stern. "They're no trouble makers at all. They're friendly, always ready to help others, and they're good students, even if they like to play pranks. In fact, I'm much more concerned about their younger brother Ron, who gets into fights with students from other houses, especially the Slytherins, on a daily basis."

"I'll speak with Ronald, when he comes home for the holidays. Thank you Harry, for everything," Molly replied, looking very much relieved when she stepped back into the fireplace.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was two weeks later that the visions started. Harry already knew what they meant, due to the information, which he had received from his older self. Voldemort was in the form of a strange creature that was being fed by house-elves of Malfoy Manor along with Mr. Malfoy and some of his dubious friends.

The thought _'I'm glad that Draco is not on his father's side'_ crossed Harry's mind, as he pondered the situation. His older self had told him how Tom was finally resurrected with the help of a few of his followers. A few weeks later then, older Harry had killed the evil wizard in a battle on the Hogwarts grounds.

_'I think I'm going to do it differently,'_ Harry mused. Knowing from his visions that the creature was usually being fed during the night, he decided to pay the creature a visit at daytime, hoping that his caretakers would be asleep then. _'I should tell someone what I'm going to do in case something happens to me though,'_ he thought and decided to confide into Severus.

The Slytherin head carefully observed Harry's visions, before he agreed that Harry's idea might be foolproof. "Be very careful though, and if he's not alone, just flash away," he instructed his friend.

"I will," Harry promised.

ホグワーツへの組分け

On a rainy summer day at the end of July, Harry transformed into his phoenix form and flashed himself to the strange creature. Due to his expanded vision in his Animagus form, he was able to confirm with a glance that the creature was alone in the room, seemingly fast asleep.

Inwardly grinning, Harry changed back into his human form and pulled his wand. Instead of simply using the killing curse, which he did not want to do, as he detested all kinds of dark spells, he transfigured the creature into goat dung, which he quickly scorgified.

The thought _'That was too easy'_ crossed his mind, as he wished himself back into his own room at Hogwarts, which had always been and still was his portal for his wish magic travels to and from Hogwarts.

Knowing that Severus would be worried, he used the shortcut to the dungeons and headed right to his friend's potions lab.

"Show me," Severus demanded and, after casting a Legilimency spell at Harry, said, "Congratulations. I hope that was the last Horcrux he had."

"According to my older self it was," Harry replied, smiling. "Apparently, his magic was too weak to make more."

"I know someone whom I can contact," Severus said, thoughtfully. "He took the mark during our Hogwarts years, and later, he regretted it and told me about it. After Voldemort went after you as a baby, he told me that the Dark Mark was only like a shadow. I'll go and ask him if the mark is still there or if it has changed or vanished by now." In a smaller voice, he continued, "Would you mind remaining with Lily in the meantime? I think she isn't feeling overly well today, and maybe the baby is going to be born soon."

"Of course," Harry promised. "Where is she?"

"In the bedroom," Severus replied, seemingly worried.

"I'll call Ceridwen over. She'll know best what to do," Harry said, calmingly.

Ceridwen only took a glance at her patient and cast one spell, before she said, "Lily, I'm going to take you with me to the hospital. We need to take the baby out right away." To Harry she said, "Lily and the baby will be all right. Please wait here for Severus and bring him to the hospital, as soon as he returns."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Severus returned almost an hour later. Harry did not wait to hear any explanation but merely grabbed his friend's arm and wished themselves in front of the hospital.

"Is something wrong?" Severus queried, quirking an eyebrow in obvious concern.

"You're going to be a father," Harry replied, smirking. "Ceridwen said they were going to take the baby out, but they would be all right," he then explained, while he pulled the other wizard with him into the hospital.

Two minutes later, Harry's and Ceridwen's daughter Helga gently laid a baby into Severus' arms.

"Congratulations Professor Snape..."

"... to the birth of your son..."

"... and our uncle Salazar," Helga and Rowena told the Slytherin head.

"Oh what a cutie," Harry commented, staring at the baby that had a round face and was spiking lots of red hair in amazement. "Congratulations Severus," he added, grinning upon noticing the Potions Master's stunned expression.

"Is Mum still in there?" Harry asked his daughters, who returned a broad smile.

"Your mum..."

"... or our mum?" they asked, causing Harry to roll his eyes.

"Both," he replied, shortly, making the young healers nod in apparent amusement.

Shaking his head in annoyance at his daughters' antics, Harry followed Severus into the room, where Lily was engrossed in a conversation with Ceridwen.

"Congratulations Lily," Harry said, smiling. "He's an absolute cutie."

"And he has the same birthday as my other son," Lily replied, smiling. "Happy Birthday, Harry."

Everyone laughed at Harry's dazzled expression. "I didn't know what date we had," he said, shrugging.

"But everyone else knows, and Minerva has arranged a birthday party in the Great Hall," Ceridwen informed him, smiling, before she turned to Lily and made sure that the young mother was feeling well enough to leave the hospital.

"Of course we need a party for Salazar," Harry replied, smiling, and took the baby from the new-born father_. 'The students will have a blast seeing the strict Slytherin head care for a baby,'_ he thought, unable to hide a broad grin.

"Dad..."

"... what's so funny?" Helga and Rowena wanted to know.

"Nothing dears, I'm just happy because I have a little brother," Harry replied, grinning.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The double birthday party in the Great Hall was much fun, especially after Severus informed everyone about Voldemort's demise.

No one even noticed that the headmaster left the party, however, everyone looked up in surprise when he returned with the Minister of Magic as well as delegates of the elves and the goblins and extended the birthday party to a demise party, during which Harry was awarded the Order of Merlin yet again.

It was still early in the evening, when Minister Fudge took Harry aside for a conversation.

"Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore told me that I had to speak with you," the minister began to speak. "I intend to send one professor from the Ministry of Magic to teach the newly founded subject 'Magical Education' at Hogwarts from the beginning of the next school year onwards," Fudge informed Harry.

"I'm sorry, but no sir," Harry replied, shortly.

"What does that mean?" Fudge replied in confusion. "I was not asking for your opinion, I merely wanted to inform you..."

"Cornelius, Harry is the owner of Hogwarts, and as such, he's able to overwrite your decisions," the headmaster interrupted the minister.

ホグワーツへの組分け

The following controversial discussion became louder by the minute and even attracted the attention of the elves and the goblins, who immediately took Harry's side.

Since many centuries, all goblins and elves knew Harry's name and were aware of the fact that they owed him, because he had provided them with long-lasting peace, freedom and wealth.

Before the party was even over, the delegates of the goblins and elves demanded that Fudge should retire as Minister of Magic.

"Why would I do such a thing?" Fudge asked, haughtily.

"Because we shall only conduct further conversations with the human magical world through Professor Potter or a Minister of Magic that has been installed by him," the Goblin representative replied in a firm voice.

"I fully agree," the representative of the Elves concurred. "Professor Potter, please see to it that a new Minister of Magic will be installed as the representative of the human magical world."

_'Oh Merlin, what a day,'_ Harry thought, however, agreed with both representatives to contact them on the following day, causing Fudge to take his leave in a huff. The goblins and the elves announced to send letters of distrust to the Ministry of Magic in the morning, which would force the election of a new minister.

"We'll also demand that Professor Potter will be entrusted with the selection of the new minister, one who is willing to cooperate with the goblins and the elves," the goblin representative added.

"We'll see to it," Harry promised, inwardly sighing. _'Oh well, if anyone has experience with this, it's me,_' he thought, recalling that he had already interfered in the Ministry of Magic three times during the last five hundred years.

"Harry," the headmaster threw in, quietly. "Whom would you suggest as the new minister?"

Harry grinned. "I have two possible candidates," he admitted and, noticing that Albus gave him a questioning look, revealed, "either you, sir, or Arthur Weasley. Both of you would make a good minister from every point of view."

The goblin and the elf nodded their agreement.

"Who would become the headmaster of Hogwarts then?" Albus enquired with a combination of curiosity and concern.

"I'd simply take back the position, which I only vacated for you, knowing that you would make a fantastic headmaster," Harry replied, smirking, when the headmaster stared at him in surprise.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Before they could further talk about the matter, Minerva and Poppy came over and pulled Harry away, insisting that he had to eat dinner and open his presents, considering that the get-together on this evening was in fact his birthday party.

"And the one of my little brother," Harry corrected the older witches, grinning, but allowed himself to be led away from the headmaster and the delegates, with whom he would confer again in the morning.

"I'm sorry, I still need to say one thing," he suddenly remembered and turned back to the goblin delegate. "Will you please open a new account in the name of my baby brother Salazar Snape and add the money for the Order of Merlin to his account instead of my own?"

"Of course, Professor Potter," the goblin reassured him, quickly writing the name of the new account's owner on a small piece of parchment.

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied, politely. "It's my birthday present for Salazar," he whispered to Lily and Severus, who were staring at him in disbelief.

"Harry, that's too much," Lily whispered back on the way to the buffet.

"No, it's not," Harry replied, smiling. "My fault is full of gold after receiving the Order of Merlin and other rewards multiple times. Why should I not share some with my baby brother?"

"Thank you, Harry," Severus threw in, giving Lily a reassuring nod.

ホグワーツへの組分け

From as soon as the following day onwards, Albus Dumbledore acted as the Minister of Magic until the election that was scheduled for the thirty-first of August and confirmed the former headmaster of Hogwarts in the minister's position.

Harry once again became the headmaster of Hogwarts. However, he still kept his position as student advisor and reassured the students that they were always welcome to visit him in the headmaster's office.

ホグワーツへの組分け

One day, Severus took Harry aside and presented him with an idea. "Last Saturday, Lily and I went to Muggle London for a shopping trip," he told him. "There are many new shops, and most of them are full with computers and other digital devices like mobile phones and such."

"Yes, I've seen that, when I went to the Muggle world," Harry confirmed, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Well, I went into one of the computer shops and spoke with the shopkeeper for a while," Severus continued. "Frankly speaking, I'd like to have a computer in order to make a database for potions ingredients, but the problem is that they don't work in the magical world. I thought maybe you'd have an idea how to charm them in order to work here at Hogwarts?"

Harry stared at the Slytherin head in disbelief. "That sounds extremely interesting, although I don't have a clue how to do such a thing," he replied, thoughtfully.

However, over the following weeks, Harry was unable to shake off the idea of to attempt charming computers to work in the magical world. One day, he addressed the topic in a staff meeting.

"I'd like to do some research about the matter," he said, matter-of-factly. "Is anyone interested in joining me with the research?"

"I know someone who might be interested," Remus Lupin spoke up, thoughtfully. "Last week, I met Sirius Black, and he told me that he's looking for a new job, as being an Auror isn't as interesting as it seemed."

"Sirius Black? Isn't he in Azkaban?" Theresa asked in apparent surprise. "I thought he was in prison for giving out Lily and James Potter."

Lily opened her mouth to reply, however, Severus beat her to it. "No, he wasn't their Secret Keeper. It was Pettigrew. He has been in Azkaban since then."

"Fortunately, Severus knew about it," Minerva threw in, "because no one else did."

"I was aware of the matter as well," Harry added, quietly. "I don't think I'll be able to work together with Sirius Black though."

Suddenly, Harry had an idea. For a few months, he had already been pondering if there was any way to reserve any teaching post for Neville, who was going to take his NEWTs in two and a half years' time. The boy was a relatively good student, probably due to Hermione's influence, as she made him study a lot, however, the subject in which he excelled was Herbology, and there would not be a vacancy for hopefully a long time. Harry was fully contented with how Annette was teaching the subject, and the students seemed to like the young Herbology professor as well. _'But I can make him my assistant for the research of computers, provided that he's interested, maybe even together with Hermione,'_ he resolved and announced his decision to his colleagues right away.

"I believe that's a very good decision," Lily was the first to comment. "Neville has become a fine young man."

Everyone else agreed, and Harry felt very happy with his decision. _'I just hope that Neville will like my idea,'_ he thought and decided to speak with the two fourth-years right away.

"I'll also help when I have time," Lily promised. "Just right now Salazar is quite a handful, so I can't promise being available at certain times," she added, giving Harry an apologetic look.

"That's fine, Lily. Thank you very much," Harry replied, knowing that if anyone would be able to invent a charm it would be his mother, as she was an excellent Charms Mistress.

"Maybe Alice would be able to help though," Lily added as an afterthought. "I know that she'd love to get away from Longbottom Manor sometimes, now that Neville is out of the house and at Hogwarts."

"Oh I can imagine that it's no fun being alone with Augusta the whole day," Minerva spoke up, causing her friend Poppy to let out a groan.

Harry couldn't help chuckling. He remembered all too well how Minerva, Poppy and Rolanda had gotten themselves into fights with Augusta every other day, when they were still students and classmates. Most of the times it was because the trio had nothing better to do than playing pranks on the studious girl that had no sense for humour whatsoever.

"I'll go and speak with Alice tomorrow," he promised, grinning.

ホグワーツへの組分け

To his relief, not only Hermione but also Neville was absolutely delighted about Harry's plan.

"When can we begin, Professor?" the boy asked with apparent enthusiasm.

Harry smirked, as he replied, "Please give me a few days to gather some information as well as material. We need a computer as well as some books or magazines, which I'll need to buy in the Muggle world. Let's meet in my office after the last afternoon class on Friday. By then I'll have everything we need," he added, thoughtfully, before he admitted to Neville that he also intended to invite his mother to join them.

A huge smile spread over the boy's face. "Thank you so much, sir," he replied with obvious excitement. "Mum will be very happy to come to Hogwarts and help us." In a smaller voice, he added, "I think she doesn't like being alone with granny all the time."

Harry cast the boy a warm smile. "Then we'll see what we can do to remedy her situation," he promised, before he dismissed the two fourth-years.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Like everyone had predicted, Alice was over the moon with joy when Harry offered her the position of a research assistant at Hogwarts, and when he told her that Neville and his best friend were going to join her as student assistants, tears welled in her eyes.

"Thank you so much Professor Potter," she said, smiling happily. "I gladly accept the position."

"I'm Harry," Harry replied, quietly. "You know who I am, don't you?" He knew for a fact that Lily had - with his permission - told her best friend the truth about himself during their school days.

"You're my godson," Alice replied, smiling.

"Exactly," Harry replied, dryly. "So there's no need to call me professor. Anyway, thank you very much for accepting the position. Neville will be very happy."

Harry and Alice agreed that for the time being Alice should come to Hogwarts every morning from Monday to Friday and return home before or after dinner in the evening. _'Depending on how everything develops, we can still offer her and Frank living quarters at Hogwarts,'_ Harry thought when he returned to the school to tell his student assistants the good news and begin to do some research consulting the huge pile of books, which he had bought earlier.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Since Hermione and Neville had only time to assist after the end of the last afternoon class as well as during the evenings and weekends, Alice and her husband Frank, who was working at the Ministry of Magic as an Auror, ended up moving to Hogwarts much sooner than Harry had anticipated. Needless to say that both Lily and Alice were very happy to be able to see each other at every meal in the Great Hall.

Apart from the living quarters for the Longbottoms, Harry made an office for Alice and the student assistants that was equipped with four workspaces and four computers, so that Lily or he could join the researchers whenever they had time.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Unfortunately, all attempts to make the computers work at Hogwarts remained unfruitful, and two years and many invented charms later, the researchers still had not achieved anything.

One day, Lily instructed Harry, "Take one of the PCs and go to speak with Rowena Ravenclaw. If anyone will be able to invent a charm that'll work it's her."

Harry stared at his mother in shock. However, it was not because the idea seemed far-fetched, but because it was only a few days ago that he had toyed with the same idea but had dismissed it again, not wanting to introduce computers in the past.

"Rowena will know that a computer is a future thing, and you don't have to show it to anyone else," Lily continued to speak.

"I think that's a brilliant idea, Harry," Hermione spoke up, causing Harry to nod in understanding.

"All right, I'll go, but please don't tell Ceridwen about it," he replied, inwardly sighing. "I'll try to be back in a few minutes."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Not bothering to return to his own room, he merely stepped out of the relatively new office, one of the computers under his arm. For an instant, he pondered to which year he should travel, before he decided on the year 1200 and wished himself back in time. Only when he found himself alone in the corridor from which he had travelled did he realise that it would have been wiser to wish himself straight into his own room as usual or even better right in front of Rowena's office. _'I can't check if I arrived at the right time here, plus my younger self shouldn't see me. I'll have to be careful while I'm here in this time,'_ he thought, as he hurried straight to Rowena's office, not even bothering to adjust his clothes to those of the past.


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorting to Hogwarts**  
><strong>by teddylonglong<strong>

_Please refer to my disclaimer and warnings in chapter 1._

* * *

><p>Rowena patiently listened to Harry's explanation, before she suggested, "Leave the device here and wish yourself four weeks into the future. Until then I'll try to invent a charm."<p>

Harry admitted to himself that he did not really like the idea, as he rather wanted to take part in Rowena's attempts to do something about the computer, however, knowing that it would be difficult to hide from his younger self for four weeks, he grudgingly agreed.

By the time, Harry arrived back at Rowena's office, the old witch had managed to get the computer started, however, it always shut off again after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry dear," she apologized. "You can either go another four weeks into the future and let me try some more or return to the future and ask Lily to add a consistence charm. The only problem that I see is that it'll probably feed from the magic of the person who cast the charm," she said, thoughtfully. "Maybe Lily can try to involve Hogwarts in the charm, so that she can support it with her own magic, who should be extremely strong one thousand years into the future."

"All right Rowena, thank you very much for your help," Harry replied, gratefully. "I'll speak with Lily. In the worst case, I'll come back here sometime soon," he added, grinning.

"Any time," Rowena replied, smiling fondly at the wizard, who was much older but seemed so much younger than herself.

Harry remained in Rowena's office for two more hours, telling her about the most important occurrences in the future, knowing that she had seen several visions of his original timeline's future. Only when there was a knock at the door, Harry quickly whispered his good-bye, grabbed the PC and wished himself back to the future from the spot.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Back at Hogwarts, he taught Lily and Alice Rowena's charm, knowing that Hermione and Neville had to concentrate on their NEWTs, which were going to take place in five months' time.

Finally, it was Alice who succeeded in modifying Rowena's charm in a way that the computer was switched on and remained switched on until it was switched off. Moreover, it did not even need magic except from the spell that had to be cast to switch on the device.

In order to not distract Hermione and Neville from studying, as it was the week before the test week, Harry, Alice and Lily decided to keep the matter to themselves until after the last NEWT.

When Hermione, Neville, Alice, Lily and Harry met in the afternoon after the last test, Harry invited Alice to become the professor for the newly invented subject Computer Science. At the same time, he offered the position of the Ancient Runes professor to Hermione and suggested for Neville to become Alice's assistant.

"I'll still think about this position," he added, thoughtfully. "It'll be a full post like that of any professor. If we manage to get these computers to properly work like they do in the Muggle world, we need someone who can do computer installations for the classroom as well as for all the professors, help them with problems or, for example, set up databases for them."

Neville smiled. "Thanks Harry for offering me the position," he said, "which I'll happily accept under the condition that you teach me everything that I need to know."

"I will," Harry promised. "We're going to study everything about these computers during the holidays."

"Well, I can only accept if we properly study anyway," Alice added. "How would I be able to teach anything otherwise?"

"Don't worry," Harry replied, soothingly. "We have the whole summer, and we'll be able to get this in grip."

"Harry," Hermione spoke up, thoughtfully. "Are you going to connect these computers to the internet?"

"I don't think so," Harry replied, smiling, before he admitted that he had used the time while Alice and Lily had tried to find the charm to do some research about computers and also about networks and the internet. "In fact, I'm planning to found the Wizardnet, which should be the equivalent to the internet for the magical world."

"A brilliant idea," Alice commended him, causing Hermione and Neville to nod.

"I'd still like to study together with you all, even if I'm going to become the Ancient Runes professor," Hermione said, giving Harry a questioning look.

"Of course, Mione," Neville was the first to reply. "We're going to be grateful for any help we can get."

_'I wonder if these two have become more than friends,'_ Harry thought with amusement. _'They'd make a lovely couple in any case.'_

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By the end of the holidays, Alice, Neville and Harry knew everything about computers, and Alice felt confident enough to teach the students using the dozen computers in the newly built classroom for Computer Studies. At the same time, Harry and Neville developed the Wizardnet.

Every Sunday morning, Harry taught his colleagues, including Ceridwen, how to use computers, and by the time the Wizardnet was ready to be used, Neville connected their colleagues' computers as well as those of Ceridwen and her twin daughters to the Wizardnet.

"Maybe after a few months' time and getting used to it, we'll connect the students' computers as well," Harry decided, unaware of the fact that it should only take a few years before every student was going to have their own computer, which they had to ask Neville to connect to the Wizardnet.

ホグワーツへの組分け

When Albus Dumbledore, who had been alerted by his portrait in the headmaster's office about the new subject Computer Studies as well as about the Wizardnet, enquired about getting computers for the Ministry of Magic, Harry left the matter to Neville. Whilst being solely responsible for the computers at Hogwarts including the hospital as well as the maintenance of the Wizardnet, Neville made a deal with the Ministry and during the following years also with private persons.

"I'm very happy for Neville," Harry once said to Ceridwen. "He was so shy and uncertain when he came to Hogwarts as a first-year, and now he's well known all over Hogsmeade as the computer expert. It's also great that he can earn some extra money by the computer installations that he does in his free time."

"Yes, I'm very happy for him, too," Ceridwen agreed, smiling, before she added, "I wonder how long it'll take before he'll ask Hermione out."

"That's true," Harry agreed, full heartedly.

However, it should still take a few years before the two classmates became a couple and finally married.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Knowing that the Wizardnet was firmly and safely in Neville's hands, Harry decided to begin using his newly found free time occupying himself with other matters, very much to the chagrin of Ceridwen, who more and more urged him to reduce his work load.

_'Important potions like that of the wolvescure shall never be lost again,'_ Harry swore to himself and began to translate a large selection of potions recipes, which Salazar Slytherin had invented but only documented in Parselscript just for himself to read.

Harry chuckled as he thought back to the time when Salazar had - merely by chance - discovered who was the other person able to speak Parseltongue.

**_Flashback, 25 December, 1210_**

Ever since he had met Amaterasu for the first time, Harry had been visiting his basilisk friend every Sunday - if anyhow possible. On this Christmas day, he was sitting on the floor next to the large animal, leaning against her body, and told her about a prank that his twins Fred and George had played on the whole school on Christmas Eve.

Both of them were chuckling and giggling, when all of a sudden, Salazar entered the chamber, staring at the scene in front of him in disbelief.

"You're Amaterasu's friend, the speaker?" he queried, incredulously. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Sal," Harry apologized, shrugging. "It just didn't come to my mind, and you never asked me. I've been visiting Amaterasu every Sunday for about fifteen years."

When he anxiously glanced at the older Potions Master, afraid that he might be angry, Salazar unexpectedly began to chuckle. "Ah, that's why you always used my way to brew certain potions, although the specific parts were written in Parselscript. I was wondering if you might be a Seer able to read behind the lines of the recipe or if you by chance somehow knew my recipes from the future."

Harry blurted out laughing. "No sir, neither," he replied, before he explained to Amaterasu about their conversation, who joined his amusement.

_End of flashback_

During the following months, Harry engrossed himself translating many of Salazar's recipes, and five years later, he published two large volumes under the titles _'Salazar Slytherin's Secrets 1 - Healing Potions_' and _'Salazar Slytherin's Secrets 2 - Joke Potions'_. To both titles he added _'Translated by Harry Potter'_.

_'Good that we have the computers,'_ he thought, when he looked contentedly at the finished manuscripts. _'It would have been a lot of work to write everything on parchments.'_

"Congratulations Harry," Ceridwen said, pulling him back to reality. "You did a great job." She remained thoughtful for an instant, before she added, "I don't like it, but I believe that you should go to the past and give Salazar one copy of each."

Harry stared at his wife in amazement. "Yes, that's it. Of course. Can you believe that I didn't even think of that?" he asked, incredulously. _'Flourish & Blotts gave me twenty copies of each. Maybe I should give one to Fred and George as well,'_ he thought, but dismissed the idea immediately, thinking that if Salazar wanted to share his recipes with the twins, he'd be able to do so.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Feeling relieved to travel with Ceridwen's consent for once but sceptical about Salazar's opinion of having his books published, Harry travelled to the past right away. He chose a year, when Salazar was about one hundred years old, and wished himself right in front of the Potions classroom in order to not possibly meet his younger self.

Grumpy as ever, Salazar accepted the two copies of the book, growling, "You should have just published them under your own name. No one in the future knows me anyway."

"Everyone knows you as one of the founders of Hogwarts," Harry contradicted, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "Anyway, I just wanted you to have a copy and to let you know how grateful the people are, who have been healed from Lycanthropy by your potion."

After a short conversation with Salazar, Harry resisted the urge of going to meet Helga and returned home to the future right away.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Harry was surprised how fast the time had passed recently, when his younger brother Salazar received his Hogwarts letter. _'I wonder where he's going to become sorted,'_ he thought, _'with a Slytherin father and a Potter mother.'_ Although he did not really mind, he somehow felt happy when Sopho, who was still sorting the students after more than thousand years, sorted his brother into his own house.

Handing the Sorting Hat back to Minerva, Salazar threw Harry a broad grin, as he went to take his seat at the Potter table, where he was greeted with huge applause, since all Potter students already knew the little redhead. Ever since he had been able to walk, Salazar had accompanied Harry to the common room, absolutely loving to listen to the students' stories.

ホグワーツへの組分け

During the following years, while his brother was a student at Hogwarts, Harry took much time to think and to confer with Ceridwen, whilst closely observing his brother at the same time.

Salazar was an eager student - needless to say that he excelled in Potions, since not only Severus but also Harry had taken the little tyke to the potions lab as soon as he was able to use a toddler's potions kit.

During the summer after Salazar had taken his OWLs, Harry took his brother aside to discuss the boy's future. "Salazar, have you already thought about what you'd like to do after taking your NEWTs?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow.

Salazar let out a long sigh. "I'm not sure," he finally replied. "On the one hand, I'd love to become a Potions Master, but on the other hand, Dad is already the Potions Master at Hogwarts, and Uncle Sebastian is the Potions Master at the hospital, Uncle David and Aunt Evelyn are running the apothecary in Hogsmeade..." He slowly trailed off, giving his brother a questioning look.

"I have an idea," Harry said, thoughtfully. "It doesn't have much to do with Potions though." Seeing that the younger wizard was hanging on his lips, he smirked.

"I'd like you to become my successor at headmaster," Harry said, matter-of-factly, giving his brother a questioning look.

Salazar stared at Harry in shock. "Why?" he asked, incredulously. "I can't imagine Hogwarts without you as the headmaster. You're the owner of Hogwarts."

Harry chuckled. "Oh Sal, I've given away the headmaster's position to others a few times. Other than that I've been the headmaster for more than one thousand years, and I believe that it's time for a change. With you I know that the position will be in good hands. I will also introduce you to Hogwarts. As the heir of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin plus as my little brother, a part of Hogwarts also belongs to you." He remained thoughtful, unobtrusively eyeing his brother, before he added, "You don't have to decide now. Think about it and inform me about your decision before you take your NEWTs."

Salazar shook his head. "No Harry, there's nothing to think about. If you deem me worthy to become the headmaster, I'll do so. It's just that I'm aware that this position is about the most important position in Britain's magical world, even more than the Minister of Magic's position."

"That it is, Sal," Harry agreed, smiling.

"Don't you want Aunt Helga or Aunt Rowena to take the post?" Salazar enquired, giving his brother a sharp look that reminded Harry immensely of Severus.

"No," Harry replied in a firm voice. "Ceridwen has recently retired from being the head healer and has passed on the position to our daughters. If you don't want to become the headmaster, I'd suggest your father for the position, although I doubt that he'd accept it because he loves being the Potions professor too much."

"I'll accept then," Salazar said in determination. "Thank you very much for offering me the position."

"You're very welcome, and I hope that you won't regret it," Harry said, inwardly sighing in relief. "I will by time introduce you to the goblins and the elves as my successor."

"Harry," Salazar suddenly said, seemingly alarmed. "You'll still be around at Hogwarts, won't you?"

"I won't go anywhere else," Harry replied, soothingly.

_'Thank Merlin, Ceridwen will be glad to hear that I obeyed and got rid of the headmaster's position,'_ Harry thought, contentedly. _'Now I need to find an appropriate successor as the Potter head of house,'_ he mused. _'Maybe Antonia. Since both her parents, Hermione and Neville, were in Potter house, she should be sorted there as well. On the other hand, she's not related to any of the founders, even if she's my godchild.'_

The thought of his now five-year-old godchild made him smile. She was not only the spitting image of her mother, but she also had her way to speak and was as eager to know and explore everything.

_'Harry Potter would be another option,'_ he thought. The boy, who had been named after him was his great grandson, the son of Evelyn and David Potter, the current owners of the apothecary. _'He's only five, too though,'_ Harry recalled and decided to put off the head of house matter for a few years. _'If neither of them fulfils my conditions, I can still make Annette the head of house, but if possible I'd prefer someone younger.'_

ホグワーツへの組分け

In the meantime, he tended to some other matters that he had been putting on hold for years, decades or even centuries. One day, he travelled into the past, to the week after Salazar's death, and let Ghost Merlin out of his prison - after speaking with Hogwarts and casting a spell at the castle in addition that would see to it that Ghost Merlin would never be able to enter the Hogwarts grounds again.

Another time, he travelled to the middle ages to meet his younger self and give him some detailed instructions about changes that he was allowed to make and those, which he had to avoid at any cost.

"I wished you could take me with you," Ceridwen said one day. "I know that you can't, and I won't allow you to travel with a passenger ever again, but I still miss Helga. Even now after eight hundred and some years, I am still missing her, not to speak of Fred and George."

"I know Ceridwen, I know," Harry said in understanding, soothingly putting his arm around her back. "I feel the same."

ホグワーツへの組分け

To Harry's amusement, the two children, whom he had considered for the head of house position, became best friends from their first day at the primary school onwards, were both sorted into Potter and decided to get married right after finishing their NEWTs. While Antonia became Minerva's successor as Transfiguration professor, her husband Harry followed Poppy Pomfrey as the healer for the school.

Knowing that the long-time professors always had a hard time to leave Hogwarts upon their retirement, Harry decided to add yet another building to Hogwarts, a home for the retired professors.

Minerva, Poppy and Misty, Poppy's elf, were the first to move into the Hogwarts Retirement Home and thanked Harry profusely for giving them the opportunity to remain together and at the school that they all loved so much.

"You're very welcome, and I wouldn't want to miss you at Hogwarts," Harry replied, smiling.

ホグワーツへの組分け

A year after Antonia and her husband Harry had taken their NEWTs, Harry offered the Potter head of house position to them, and the couple happily agreed.

"I will still come to the common room from time to time," he promised the students, who let out a collective groan of disappointment upon hearing the news of his retirement, even if they already knew their new heads of house well.

ホグワーツへの組分け

It was after Salazar had taken his NEWTs that Harry introduced his brother to the goblins and the elves. Before he made Salazar the headmaster, he still had one plan to pull through with. Together with Albus Dumbledore, who was still acting as Minister of Magic, as well as the goblins' and the elves' representatives, Harry signed a contract that stated if at any of the three parties a new head was selected, the two other parties had to agree to the election of a new Minister, goblin head or elder elf.

Knowing that Harry had proven more than once that he had their best interests in mind, all three parties, the Minister, the goblin head and the elder elf, immediately agreed to the contract.

ホグワーツへの組分け

Back at Hogwarts, Harry officially retired from the headmaster's position and introduced his brother as his successor.

While everyone easily accepted his decision, knowing that Harry had already resigned multiple times but always taken the position back, Severus visited Harry and Ceridwen in their private quarters late in the evening.

"Harry, what does this mean?" he queried, giving Harry a sharp look, before he turned his eyes to Ceridwen.

Ceridwen smiled, while Harry let out a long sigh.

"Severus, I need you to do me one favour," he finally spoke up, causing the Potions professor to quirk an eyebrow in silent question.

"Please invent an antidote to the elixir of life," Harry added in a soft voice.

Severus stared at his best friend in disbelief.

"You know, we both had a very long and happy life," Ceridwen explained on Harry's behalf. "However, we saw our family, the other founders and worst of all our children and grandchildren pass away. We don't wish to repeat the process with our daughters, Harry's mother and our best friends. Therefore, it's time for us to go after those who have travelled ahead."

"I understand," Severus replied, tonelessly. "Please give me a few weeks."

ホグワーツへの組分け

Several months later, on Harry's 1111 birthday, Severus unobtrusively handed Harry two small phials.

"I believe that it'll take effect after twenty-four hours," he said, seemingly indifferently, however, Harry noticed how he secretly wiped his eyes.

ホグワーツへの組分け

After a huge birthday party with their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, Harry's friends among the goblins and the elves and of course everyone who had remained at Hogwarts during the summer, Harry and Ceridwen retired to their quarters.

"Let's go to bed and cuddle for a while," Harry suggested, and Ceridwen immediately agreed.

"What was your favourite time during all these years?" she asked after a few hours of cuddling and kissing, curiously.

"When I first met you," Harry replied, without even having to think about the matter.

"Same here," Ceridwen agreed, smiling.

"That was my Sorting to Hogwarts and to you," Harry whispered and pulled her close, as they drifted off peacefully and happily - to their next great adventure.

**The End**

**Thank you very much for your kind feedback throughout this story!**


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